The League of Extraordinary Toons
by Hellinbrand
Summary: Sequel to 'Kingdom Hearts II'. The world order has broken down and the villains are running riot! Worse still, Sora, Riku and Kairi are missing. King Mickey forms a team of Disney heroes to track them down and save the Kingdom Hearts universe.
1. Call me, beep me

_Author's note: This is a story for all those who think that the Kingdom Hearts franchise has been getting a little too serious, that the fanfiction community focuses on the non-Disney characters too much and that Disney characters are a lot of fun in their own right!_

_My apologies to Alan Moore, Kevin O'Neill, Walt Disney and Tetsuya Nomura for stealing their ideas. _

The League of Extraordinary 'Toons

Chapter 1: Call me, beep me

Kim Possible slid between two pools of deep shadow, silent as a whisper. Behind her came her boyfriend and sidekick Ron Stoppable, moving as smooth as sandpaper.

"KP, aren't you just a little bit suspicious?" he asked, "An abandoned industrial estate, in the middle of the night: it's a classic ambush setup!"

"All the more reason for us to be _quiet_!" Kim hissed, pressing herself up against a wall. She raised her communicator.

"Wade, you got anything?" she asked. Wade appeared on the video screen, his wide friendly face creased into a frown.

"Nothing new, Kim," he replied, "All I'm getting is the same message, on repeat: 'Calling Kim Possible. Need urgent assistance.' And then the address: that's it!"

"OK, keep me posted," Kim replied,

"Be careful."

"I will," said Kim, replacing the communicator on her belt.

The industrial estate was very dark. The only light came from the occasional street lamp that had escaped the vandals' stones. Warehouses and office buildings loomed up on every side, black shadows against the cloudy night sky. It seemed unnaturally quiet to Kim; there was not even a breath of wind to stir the street litter. She and Ron continued to move along the road, black shapes flitting from shadow to shadow.

The address they had received turned out to be that of an old warehouse. The paint was flaking away from the walls, revealing patches of scarlet rust. The high front doors were still chained shut but a few minute's exploration revealed that the side door had been forced from the outside. Pausing only to strap on their night vision goggles, Kim and Ron slipped quietly through the door.

It was very cold inside. Looking up, Kim could see the places were the roof had fallen away, revealing patches of inky sky. It looked like the warehouse had not been used for years. Someone had crammed it full of empty storage containers the size of buses, locked the doors and walked away. There was no sign of life; not even footprints in the dust.

Trying to ignore how loud Ron's steps sounded, Kim began to move through the warehouse. The spaces between the stacks of containers were so narrow that the duo was forced to turn sideways to pass between them. First, they moved round the edge of the warehouse. Finding nothing unusual, they began to move inwards. They were approaching the very centre of the room when Kim suddenly froze, throwing out a hand to stop Ron.

Someone had cleared a wide space in the centre of the warehouse. In the middle was a grey headed old man seated on a chair with his back to them. Adjusting her goggles, Kim could make out the thin cords of rope binding him to the seat. Turning to Ron, she signalled for him to be quiet and stay where he was. Ron nodded.

Kim moved softly towards the seated man, ears pricked for any sudden sounds, body tensed for flight. Moving up behind the chair, she placed a tentative hand on his shoulder. There was no response. The shoulder felt cold and hard. Kim span the chair round and came face to face with a shop dummy. A mop head had been placed on top of it as a makeshift wig.

"Ron, it's a trap!" she cried. An unfamiliar voice answered from the shadows:

"Wow, you are quick aren't you?"

Kim turned. A cockerel, only a little taller than Kim and wearing a white tuxedo, emerged into the half light. Its beak seemed to shine, as if it were made of metal.

"I gotta say; I wonder why the boss is so interested in you," he said, "But orders are orders. Goodbye, Kim Possible."

The cockerel clicked his fingers. The shadows around Kim's feet began to bubble like the surface of some boiling liquid. She tried to step back but found that she was surrounded on all sides.

"Kim!" Ron shouted.

"Ron! Don't come any closer!" she called back. Suddenly the shadows gave a great heave and a ring of strange creatures leapt up out of the floor. They were quite short, black as pitch, with long, supple limbs. Their heads were long, tapering into twin points that hung down at the back like a jester's cap. They had no faces; only two round yellow eyes that glowed like lamps.

Kim did not wait to see what they would do. She aimed a kick at the creature in front of her. To her surprise, it vanished before her foot even made contact. It was as if someone had cut its legs from under it, dropping back into the shadows at its feet. Kim bounded through the gap she had made, towards Ron. Another of the creatures leapt at her from the right. She aimed a dismissive punch at it, expecting it to vanish as easily as the first. To her surprise the creature turned her blow aside and countered with one of its own. Its arm lashed out, struck her in the stomach and sent her flying into the side of a container.

Ron rushed to put himself between Kim and the shadow creatures. Two of them came at him at once. He fended the first one off but the second swept his legs from under him and hurled him down beside Kim. Kim and Ron scrambled to their feet, their backs to the container. The creatures loomed up before them, a row of yellow orbs in a wall of night.

Suddenly, a beam of light flashed past them. It struck two of the creatures, piercing them like a lance and reducing them to a cloud of dark smoke. The others fell back as a small, dark shape rushed forward, a golden blade flashing in its hand. The creatures had only retreated a few steps when they turned and pounced on the newcomer. For a moment all that Kim could see was a writhing mass of shadow. There was a series of explosions. The air around her was filled with smoke. As it cleared it revealed the little figure standing alone in the middle of the warehouse. There was no sign of the cockerel or the shadow creatures.

Kim took a tentative step forward. Readjusting her goggles, she stared at the stranger that now stood before her. He was a mouse, a head shorter than herself, wearing a red jacket and shorts with yellow trainers on his feet. He had a round, open face and two large round ears on the very top his head. In his right hand he held a strange weapon. It looked like a fusion between a sword and a key. Its guard was silver and the golden blade glowed softly with an inner light.

"Gosh, I'm sorry," the mouse said in a high falsetto, "I'd hoped to get here before they did. They're moving faster than I thought."

"Who are 'they'?" asked Kim.

"The bad guys," said the mouse.

"You mean like that chicken we just saw?" said Ron.

The mouse looked startled and span round. His ears twitched from side to side like little satellite dishes.

"Hold on," said Kim, removing her goggles to speak with the mouse face to face, "what – I mean, _who _are you? Did you send that message?"

"Shh," said the mouse, pressing a finger to his lips, "not here. We don't know who might be listening. Come with me; I'll take you somewhere safe."

The mouse did not wait for a reply but trotted off through the containers. Kim glanced at Ron, who shrugged. Kim sighed. She thought she would be used to surprises by now; her career as secret agent-for-hire had provided many. This night was one of the strangest she could remember. There seemed to be little she could do except go with the flow.

The mouse led them out of the warehouse and across the industrial estate. He moved even more cautiously than Kim, halting every few steps to check that they were not being followed. They eventually reached a car park on the far side of the estate. The mouse broke out from the cover of the buildings and sprinted across the tarmac surface. Kim and Ron were close behind him.

At the far end of the car park was an old port-a-cabin. It was crouched in the deepest shadows beside the wire fence. The door was hanging off its hinges and Kim could not see a complete pane of glass in any of the windows.

"What is going on?" she hissed but the mouse's only reply was to press a finger to his lips. Turning to face the port-a-cabin, he waved the oversized key above his head three times.

In less than a heartbeat, the port-a-cabin began to change. It appeared as if there was another, larger building inside trying to break out. The prefabricated walls, which only a moment ago had seemed so solid, began to swell and contract as if they were no stronger than paper. The new, inner shape pushed its way out, swallowing up the dull green walls and replacing them with proud scarlet. The windows became bright yellow stripes. The door was pushed aside to make way for broad, white wings. At the rear flourished a jet exhaust and on the roof emerged a dome of blue crystal. In less time than it would take to describe it, a gleaming rocket ship stood before them. Kim and Ron's jaws dropped.

"Quickly, come aboard," the mouse instructed, moving forward to grasp the golden ladder that had descended down the side of the ship. The crystal dome at the top opened with a hiss and the mouse dropped inside. Kim and Ron exchanged a shrug and followed the mouse aboard.

Underneath the dome was the ship's cockpit, gleaming in chrome. The control panel was studded with bright buttons, like so many precious stones. There were three seats; the pilot's, in front of the wheel and two for passengers behind it. At the very rear of the cockpit, below the hinge of the dome, was a ladder descending into the ship itself. Kim climbed into the cockpit just in time to see the mouse's round ears disappearing through hole.

Kim had been aboard many aircraft in her life, and several spaceships, but this one was easily the strangest of them all. The floor of the cabin was covered in a thick green carpet; the walls with flowery yellow wallpaper. There was a gramophone player, a wardrobe in one corner, and a dresser next to a roaring fire beneath a stone mantelpiece. In the middle of the room were a group of squashy armchairs grouped around a coffee table.

"Wow, it's so…" she began, trying to think of a polite way to describe the cabin.

"Cosy!" Ron finished for her.

"Ain't it just?" said the mouse, without a trace of irony. He led them across the cabin towards a figure standing beside the fireplace.

"Your Majesty," the man said, "You found her!"

Clean: that was the first word that came to Kim's mind when she saw the young man. He looked like an advert for men's healthcare products, all perfect white teeth, square jaw, slim hips and rippling muscles. He was wearing a blue cape, a breastplate of brown leather and a pleated skirt of leather plates.

"Your Majesty?" said Kim, confused.

"King Mickey, at your service," said the mouse. He looked embarrassed at having to introduce himself as such.

"And this is Hercules," he said, indicating the tall man beside him.

"Whoa-ho! Just wait a minute!" said Ron, "You mean to say this is _the _Hercules: strength of a god, the greatest hero of all time?!"

"The one and only," said Hercules with a smile so bright it almost shone. He reached out and shook hands with Ron, who could not suppress a whimper of pain as the iron grip closed on his. Kim, however, was made of sterner stuff and managed to keep her eyes from watering.

A new, unfamiliar voice spoke from the mantelpiece:

"Hmph. I still don't see why you dragged us all this way, Your Majesty. As far as I can see, she's just a slip of a girl."

Kim leant round Hercules to confront whoever had just spoken. It took her a moment to spot him. Unlike Mickey, he was a mouse-sized mouse, sitting in a miniature armchair on the mantelpiece. He had pale brown fur and was wearing a violet dressing gown.

"That's good, coming from someone who came free with the breakfast cereal," Kim said waspishly. The brown mouse raised a disdainful eyebrow and sucked at the miniature pipe in its claw.

"How vulgar. I say we leave her here," he said.

"Kim Possible, Basil of Baker Street," said Mickey hurriedly in a tone of almost desperate cheerfulness.

"Charmed, I'm sure," said Kim.

"Likewise," said Basil. Their voices dripped with sarcasm.

"And that's just about everyone," said Mickey, "except…"

"I am the terror that flaps in the night!" boomed a voice, interrupting Mickey "I am the crust on the pie of justice! I am…"

There were some muffled curses. A door at the far end of the cabin rattled for a few seconds and then burst open, sending a figure in purple tumbling head over heels onto the carpet in front of them. Staggering to its feet it announced, rather woozily:

"I am Darkwing Duck!"

He was indeed a duck. Standing a little taller than Mickey, he had white feathers and wore a long cape, wide brimmed hat and a purple mask above his beak.

"Now hold on!" Kim shouted. The situation was getting too strange for her. Everybody in the room froze.

"Your Majesty," she said, turning to Mickey, "what is going on here? What's with this… this menagerie?! And why are Ron and I here?"

"We'd better sit down," said Mickey, "this could take a while."

Eventually, after everyone had taken an armchair and been served hot tea (in a china cup, of course), Mickey began to explain:

"OK, you've probably worked out that we're not from your world."

"No kidding," said Kim.

"Well, there are lots of different worlds out there. Every star in the sky is a distant and different world. Gummi-ships, like the _Excalibur, _allow people to travel between them. Now, every star has a heart, just like a person. The Heartless, the creatures that attacked you in that warehouse, want to find and devour each and every heart in the universe."

"And that's bad, right?" said Ron.

"Oh yeah," Mickey said, "If the Heartless take the heart of a person, that person becomes a Heartless like them. If they take the heart of a world, that world vanishes, along with everyone in it. The Heartless were created by a madman named Xehanort, who wanted to rule all the worlds."

This was starting to sound very familiar to Kim and Ron: defeating megalomaniacs with ambitions of world conquest was their bread and butter.

"So, you want us to stop this Xehanort?" said Kim.

"No, he's not a problem anymore" said Mickey, "Three friends, named Sora, Riku and Kairi, fought with me against Xehanort using powerful weapons called Keyblades."

Mickey held up the golden key he carried for them to see.

"About six months ago we defeated Xehanort for the last time and my friends returned home to their own world. Not long after that, however, things started to go wrong. Y'see, every world is supposed to be separated by an invisible wall which stops people crossing over to other worlds. It's what preserves the World Order."

"And the barriers have gone?" said Kim.

"Yes," said Mickey, "Villains have started moving between different worlds and they're causing all sorts of trouble.

"About a month back, I sent a letter to Sora and his friends to ask them to come and help me find out what's happening to the barriers. There was no reply. So, two weeks ago, I sent my court magician and the captain of my guard to deliver the message in person. They were nowhere to be found."

"And you want them found," Kim concluded.

"Yes," said Mickey, "but more than that. I'm sure that the two are connected: the barriers breaking down and my friends disappearing. Whoever or whatever did this has gotta be real powerful; I don't think I can deal with it on my own."

"Missing persons? No problem!" said Kim brightly, putting her cup down and standing up "When do I start?"

"You mean: when do _we _start?" said Mickey.

"We?"

"I'm forming a League," said Mickey, "A team of extraordinary people to find Sora and his friends. And I'd like you to join."

"A team… Wait a second," said Kim, with mounting horror, "you mean team up with _these guys_?"

"My apologies if we don't meet your high standards," said Basil icily.

"I for one am much happier working solo," said Darkwing grumpily.

"Please, guys, don't fight," said Mickey sadly, his ears drooping like wilted flowers.

"I need you _all_," he continued, "Hercules, for your strength; Basil, for your mind; Darkwing, for your stealth and Kim, for your skill. I need you all. We all need each other if we're gonna do this."

Basil and Darkwing did not look any more cheerful but they kept silent.

"So, Kim, what do you say?" said Mickey.

Kim's immediate reaction was one of horror: she doubted that there was a competent hero between the four of them. The mission would be a shambles. However, she reflected, Mickey had successfully fought off the Heartless, where she and Ron had failed. He at least had some skill. Hercules looked like he could handle himself in a fight, too.

Could she really turn down Mickey's request? She had never refused to help someone before. After all, she advertised on her website that she could do anything. Could she live with the shame if she turned them down?

Kim sighed:

"OK. I'm in."

Mickey gave her the widest smile she had ever seen on anything that was not a crocodile.

"Ron's coming too, right?" Kim asked hurriedly. She wanted at least one other normal person on this mission with her. Semi-normal, she corrected herself.

"Oh no!" said Ron, shaking his head firmly, "I don't think this is for me."

"What?!" Kim rounded on him angrily, "Ron, what're you saying? You can't break up Team Possible!"

"You're more than welcome to come," said Mickey.

"KP, look around you," said Ron, "You're not gonna need a sidekick on this one: you're gonna have Hercules himself watching your back! Besides, Rufus doesn't like space travel."

"But Ron…" Kim began.

"Kim, this is a team for extraordinary people," said Ron softly, putting his arms around her, "I'm just a regular guy."

"No you're not."

"Yes I am. Come on, think about it: you're gonna visit other worlds! It'll be fun!"

"Not without you," said Kim sulkily.

"You can tell me all about it when you get back," said Ron. He leant forward to kiss her. There were some embarrassed coughs from the others and shuffling of feet but Kim didn't care.

"See ya later," said Ron, stepping back and breaking the embrace. He crossed the cabin and, giving her one last wave, climbed up the ladder and out of sight.

Kim went and sat in the bathroom for a few minutes, where no-one would see her cry. When she returned, she found Mickey pouring over a strange map of interconnected dots. The others were sitting in their armchairs, talking quietly.

"So," said Kim, approaching the table and trying to look more confident than she really felt, "what's the sitch?"

"Pardon?" said Mickey

"What's the plan?" Kim explained, "Where do we start?"

"First, we gotta recruit the last member of our League," said Mickey.

"And who's that?"

"Well, he was born John, Lord Greystoke but I believe he answers to a different name these days: Tarzan of the Apes."

* * *

_Author's note: On the suggestion of lesharostormraven, I have decided to add a little note to each chapter to tell people where I took some of the more obscure characters from._

- Basil (The Great Mouse Detective / Basil the Great Mouse Detective)


	2. Moves like an Ape, Looks like a Man

Chapter 2: Moves like an Ape, Looks like a Man

The gummi-ship soared above the jungle canopy. It stretched to the horizon in ever direction, like an endless sea of emeralds. Even through the cockpit dome, Kim could hear the screeching, cawing, chattering cacophony of the animals below.

Beside her Mickey, his hands firm on the ship's wheel, was trying to navigate by a grubby sheet of notepaper rested on the control panel in front of him.

"Have you been here before?" Kim asked.

"No, but my friends have," said Mickey, "They said the best place to start lookin' for Tarzan would be at this tree house but I can't seem to find it. I guess I shouldn't have asked Goofy to write the directions…"

Kim shrugged and turned back to admiring the jungle below. She was glad to have a blue sky overhead again. Travelling aboard an interstellar rocket ship was very different from the space flights she had previously taken. Taking off into interspace had not been too bad but her first warp jump had left her looking greener than the cabin carpet. She had taken comfort from the similar expressions on the other passengers' faces.

"Ah-ha!" Mickey cried, pointing east through the cockpit window. Kim followed his finger and saw a huge tree towering above the canopy, a wooden house cradled in its mighty upper branches.

"Stand by to disembark," said Mickey, speaking into a tube that broadcast his voice into the cabin below.

"Your Majesty, look" said Hercules, shading his eyes with his hand, "That can't be right."

Kim frowned. Now that it was closer she could see that the tree house had been reduced to a charred frame. The roof and much of the walls had been burned away, taking with it the top of the tree and coating the boughs with ash.

"We'd better take a closer look," said Mickey.

Having successfully landed the rocket ship on one of the lower branches of the great tree, the group disembarked and began to climb up a convenient staircase of planks that had been built curving up around the trunk.

"Oops!" said Mickey, pausing, "Nearly forgot!"

He turned back to the empty rocket ship and stretched out his arm. There was a flash of light and his Keyblade appeared in his hand. Mickey made a pass with the Keyblade, sending a little ball of glowing light floating towards the ship. It touched the cockpit dome, infusing it with a light that spread across the whole ship. For a second the whole ship bulged and contorted. A moment later and a mass of green leaves stood before him.

"Chameleon Circuit," Mickey said to Kim, as if that explained everything. He had changed into khaki shorts and shirt, with a white pith helmet covering his round ears.

The plank staircase snaked up the trunk until it came to a wide platform, black with soot, surrounding the house itself. There was no sign of any life; not even a bird.

"We should spread out and look for clues," said Mickey.

"Stand back," Darkwing cried, throwing out his arms, "Let me handle this, Your Majesty."

"Oh please," said Basil irritably, hopping down from Hercules's shoulder, "the only way _you _couldfind a clue is if you tripped over that ridiculous cape of yours and sat on it! Now be a good chap and watch a real detective at work."

Darkwing blustered pompously but Mickey held up his hand.

"Sorry Darkwing but I think he's right," he said, "Go ahead, Basil."

Kim, who was no poor detective herself, watched with interest as the tiny mouse scuttled to and fro across the floor. He bent down to sample the layer of ash that coated the planks, rubbed it between his fingers and finally tasting a pinch of it. He then disappeared into the tree house. Kim caught glimpses of him through the empty windows as he seemed to dart randomly back and forth. A moment later he rushed out, passed the group and began to examine the stairway they had just climbed.

"What happened here, Basil?" Mickey asked as he returned to the group.

"I'm afraid there's precious little to tell, Your Majesty," Basil replied with a sad shake of his head, "I would say this building was fired between twenty four and forty eight hours ago, judging by the texture and consistency of the ash left behind. It was performed by a gang of human men, of that I'm quite certain, but the fire and our coming has so thoroughly obscured their tracks that I cannot estimate their number. They searched the building with little thoroughness before setting it alight and then taking their leave in a roughly easterly direction. It was a botched job, done quickly. They took no time to gather kindling but instead emptied a few dozen cartridges onto the floor: shotgun, probably twelve-bore I'd say. But more than that, I cannot tell."

Kim was impressed: she had no idea how he had deduced all that information. She wondered for a moment if Basil could be bluffing but he seemed so confident that she could not find it in herself to argue.

"Then east we go," said Mickey, "Somethin' doesn't feel right about this. I want to get to the bottom of it."

"And I would suggest that we go armed," said Basil, "The jungle is a dangerous place at the best of times and this gang appear to possess firearms."

It did not take long to assemble the group's armoury. Mickey had only the mysterious Keyblade that he seemed able to summon and dismiss at will. Hercules wore a long sword at his hip, while Darkwing carried an over-sized firearm that he called a 'gas gun'. Kim relied on her fists in battle and Basil did not seem to own a weapon. Kim could only hope that the others were tougher than they seemed, if it actually came to a fight.

They left the tree house just as the sun was climbing to its highest point and descended into the cool green darkness beneath the trees. It was not difficult to follow the men who had burned the tree house; they had hacked a wide path through the undergrowth with machetes, trampling on everything that remained underfoot.

It was so easy to follow the trail that Kim's attention quickly drifted from the pursuit to the savage beauty of her surroundings. Flowers of every size and shade bloomed between the trees. Brightly coloured birds and insects fluttered overhead, slaloming through dangling creepers and tree branches. Every now and then she caught a glimpse of a dim shape slouching between distant trunks, or of bright eyes shining in the dark.

The sound of a rifle being cocked snapped Kim back to her sense.

"Turn around. Slowly," a voice growled behind them.

The group turned to face a man standing on the edge of the trail a short distance behind them, a rifle in his hands. Three more men, all carrying rifles, emerged from the undergrowth beside the trail. Two of them stepped forward and searched Kim and her friends, seizing any weapons and equipment they found.

"Run ahead and tell the others to get back here," ordered the first man, his eyes not leaving Kim and her companions. One of the men grunted and sprinted off down the trail.

Mickey tried to speak but the man waved his rifle threateningly.

"Quiet. Save it for the boss," he said.

While they were waiting, Kim tried to size up the men as best as she could. They were dressed in lightweight khakis, with bandanas on their heads to keep the sun off. They carried revolvers, machetes and extra bullets at their belts. Their faces were rough and unfriendly.

After about ten minutes a party of men appeared, marching along the jungle trail. They were led by the man who had been sent to fetch help.

"Here they are, sir," he said.

The newcomers were cast from the same mould as their fellows; rough men, heavily armed and equipped for jungle trekking. They spread out to surround Kim and her companions. A tall man with a jutting chin and thin moustache stepped forward.

"Who are you, and what do you mean by following us?" he demanded.

"Please, fellas, put the guns down. We're not lookin' for trouble," said Mickey.

"Answer the question," growled another tall man, stepping up beside the man with the thin moustache. The face under his wide-brimmed hat was hard and cruel. A blue goanna followed at his heels like a well-trained dog.

"We're lookin' for a friend o' ours," said Mickey, as pleasantly if he were chatting with a passerby on the street.

"What friend? There's nothin' in this jungle except beasts and trees," said the man with the pet goanna.

"His name's Tarzan," said Mickey, "he's a…"

He was interrupted by a loud cry from one of the men.

"Tarzan, is it? Well, this is fortunate!" boomed the young man. He was quite handsome, in a chiselled, well-groomed sort of way, and thickly muscled.

"Gaston, ya boofhead: shut up!" snarled the man with the pet goanna. Gaston bridled.

"I don't take orders from you, Monsieur McLeach," he sneered.

"Quiet, the pair of you!" ordered the man with the thin moustache.

"My apologies," he said, turning back to Mickey, "It appears that we are here on common purpose. We too are seeking Tarzan; he is an old acquaintance of mine."

"Really?" said Mickey brightly.

"Yes. We wish to employ Lord Greystoke as a guide, to further advance our zoological studies," said the man with the thin moustache.

"You're zoologists?" said Kim sceptically, "Then what's with all the guns?"

"The jungle is a dangerous place, miss," the man replied smoothly.

"Far too dangerous for such a small and poorly armed party to be wandering alone," he continued, indicating the pile of equipment his men had seized from Kim and her companions.

"I would suggest that you accompany us from hereon in, for your own protection."

"Thank you for the offer," said Mickey, "but I think we'll manage fine on our own mister…?"

"Clayton, and I'm afraid I really must insist."

The men around them raised their rifles.

"If you insist," said Mickey, beginning to look warily at Clayton and his companions.

Clayton's camp was several miles along the trail. They had formed a ring of canvas tents in a large clearing. There was equipment for trapping and killing animals of every size: nets, bolas, chains, ropes, vicious steel traps and many other devices that Kim did not recognise. In one corner of the camp, constantly guarded by half a dozen men, was a group of cages. Inside were a variety of different animals: panthers, bears, monkeys, hippopotami, crocodiles. There was a leopard that continually growled and slashed at the bars of its cage. A red elephant had been chained to a tree stump. It was the most miserable looking animal that Kim had ever seen. Many of the cages were still empty.

Kim and the others were told to sit near the centre of the camp, by the fire pit, where they were watched constantly by four armed men. They never spoke, except to tell Kim and her companions to sit down and be quiet.

"Hey," said Hercules softly, when it appeared that they were not being watched too closely, "I don't think these guys are zoologists."

"Brilliant deduction, genius" said Darkwing scathingly.

"No, I think they're hunters," said Mickey, ignoring him.

"Do you think they're really looking for Tarzan?" asked Kim.

"That Gaston fellow certainly seemed excited when Your Majesty mentioned his name," said Basil thoughtfully.

"What do they want with him?" said Darkwing.

"Nothing good, I'll bet," said Kim.

"Hey! Shut your yaps!" one of the guards shouted, bringing an end to their brief conversation.

Unable to talk with one another, the group took to watching the activities of the camp. There were nearly a hundred men in total, including the cooks, bearers, drivers and labourers. Clayton, Gaston and McLeach were clearly the leaders, marching around the camp bellowing orders and bullying the other men with relish. Kim noticed that they carried a different type of weapon to their men; sleek white ray-guns, with a stylised letter 'S' carved into the stock.

Evening descended and teams of men began to drift into the camp, some of them dragging captured animals behind them. These were presented for the leaders' inspection and either caged or killed there and then, their bodies dumped beside the cook tent.

The camp fire was well underway by now and several warthogs had been spitted over it. While the men sat down to enjoy the meat, Kim and her friends were served a thin stew, probably made from yesterday's leftovers. As they ate, they gradually became aware of raised voices coming from one of the tents.

"You're a pair of bleedin' drongos!" shouted McLeach, "I say we cut their throats and dump 'em. Keepin' them alive's just invitin' trouble."

"And you're a fool if you can't see how to turn this to our advantage," replied Gaston.

"They are his friends. If he learns that they are in trouble, he will come to rescue them," said Clayton slowly, as if explaining a simple concept to a particularly slow child.

"They _say _they're his friends," said McLeach, "We ain't got no proof of it, 'ave we?"

"Do they seriously think that we can't hear them?" hissed Kim but she was instantly shushed into silence by her companions.

"Why would they lie?" said Gaston.

"To save their necks; not everyone's as big a nong as you, ya know!"

There was the sound of a scuffle and then Clayton's voice raised above the other two:

"Sit down, the pair of you! It's two against one, McLeah, so hold your tongue. We'll keep them alive to use as bait. I won't have you jeopardising my chance to kill him."

"_Your_ chance?" sneered McLeach.

"That wasn't the agreement, Clayton," said Gaston, "The White Ape is free game, remember?"

"He belongs to the one who kills him," said Clayton.

The voices from the tent had just begun to settle down again when a terrible cry came from the jungle; a long, savage note filled with rage.

"It's him! The White Ape!" roared Gaston, plunging out of the tent, ray-gun in hand.

"Where'd it come from?" demanded McLeah, just behind him.

There was a confused moment as multiple different voices called out and arms were pointed in every direction.

"Silence!" bellowed Clayton, at last emerging from the tent, "It came from the north-west. He can't have got far. We take twenty men each and head out in three parties. The rest of you, guard the beasts! He's tried to free them before now."

The camp was plunged into chaos as men scrambled for their weapons and equipment. Some rushed to form a ring around the cages, while others were forming up around the three lead hunters. The men guarding Kim and her companions exchanged confused looks, clearly unsure what they should do.

"Run!" Mickey cried. Leaping to his feet, he thrust his arms out wide. There was a flash of light. The guards staggered back, blinded. Mickey bounded past them and into the jungle, Kim and the others close behind.

"Stop them!" they heard Clayton cry. There were a few shots but the hunters were firing blind. Kim and the others crashed through the undergrowth, arms thrusting branches and creepers aside as they ran.

They could hear the faint sound of gunfire from the camp, intermixed with the fizz and crackle of the three ray-guns. Kim wondered if the hunters had caught their 'White Ape'.

Suddenly Darkwing screamed beside her and vanished upwards. A heartbeat later and something came whistling out of the darkness. It struck Mickey's pith helmet, sending him tumbling head over heels. There was a white blur and something big and heavy barrelled into Kim on her blindside. She hit the floor hard. She looked up, feeling too woozy stand. Hercules was the only person still on his feet, grappling with a white figure. The two stood framed in the moonlight, glistening with sweat, thick muscles knotting beneath their skin.

"Wait, please!" Mickey cried, regaining his feet.

The white figure released its hold on Hercules and bounded away, towards the nearest tree.

"Tarzan! Wait! We're friends!" Mickey cried.

The white figure paused, illuminated in a patch of moonlight. His face, framed by ragged dreadlocks, was hidden in shadow. He was crouched on all fours, resting on his knuckles like an ape.

"Tarzan, please listen: we're friends of Sora," said Mickey.

"Sora?" said Tarzan, followed by a stream of ape-like grunts.

"Not friends," he said, shaking his head, "You bad. You hurt Tarzan's people."

Mickey summoned his golden Keyblade and held it out for Tarzan to see.

"Tarzan, look," he said softly, "Sora had a weapon like this, didn't he? He was with Donald and Goofy, remember? They were your friends. We are your friends."

Tarzan took a step forward, the shaft of moonlight falling across his face. Kim was amazed how straight and handsome his features were. He moved so much like an ape that she had almost expected him to have an ape's face too. Tarzan stared intently at the keyblade, then at Mickey, then at the others.

"You… are Sora's friends?" he said slowly.

"Yes," said Mickey, nodding vigorously.

"You are…. Tarzan's friends?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Not… bad men's friends?"

"No, not their friends."

"Friends," said Tarzan, extending his hand. Mickey grasped it and shook it warmly.

"Friends," he repeated.

"Excuse me!" came an indignant cry from high above them. Everyone looked up. Darkwing was dangling from a tree branch, his foot caught in a snare.

"I'm sure this is all very touching," he continued, trying and failing to keep his cape out his eyes, "but could someone please cut me down?!"

* * *

_Author's Note: Yes, I know Clayton was squashed by the Stealth Sneak in _Kingdom Hearts _but I needed some Disney hunters for this chapter and he fitted in. Besides if Hades, Ursula, Maleficent and Oogie Boogie can all come back in _Kingdom Hearts II_, I don't see why Clayton can't in my fic! _

_The characters in this chapter are:_

- Clayton (Tarzan)

- Gaston (Beauty and the Beast)

- McLeah (The Rescuers Down Under)


	3. Trashin' the Camp

Chapter 3: Trashin' the Camp

No sooner had Darkwing been returned to the ground than Tarzan was urging them to move on.

"Bad men. Danger," he said, pointing in the direction of the hunters' camp.

Tarzan led them through the jungle, swinging through the lower branches as agilely as any monkey. Mickey and the others followed as best they could on foot. It was difficult going, for there were no obvious trails here and they were often waist deep in thick undergrowth. Occasionally Tarzan would get ahead of them and several fearful moments would pass as they waited in the darkness for him to return. Each time this happened he would grunt something in admonishment and urge them to go faster.

The trees ended very suddenly at the foot of a high cliff. Tarzan guided the group through a narrow defile and into a rocky hollow. At the far end was a cliff of even greater height, which they were told to climb. Kim, a fully-trained rock climber, reached the top with ease but both Mickey and Darkwing found the ascent much more difficult.

"This is why… I carry a… gas-gun," Darkwing wheezed as he finally hauled himself onto the sward of grass at the top.

Beyond there lay a wide, round lagoon, silver in the moonlight. Away to the group's left a waterfall fell down from the hills to disturb its smooth surface. As soon as everyone had made the climb, Tarzan was urging them towards the waterfall.

Pressing himself up against the cliff face, the ape-man moved sideways along the water's edge until he had passed under the waterfall and out of sight. One by one, the group followed him.

Behind the waterfall, completely hidden from the outside, was a cave entrance leading deep into the hills. The sloping tunnel was perfectly dark but, several hundred metres in, Kim was surprised to see faint orange light up ahead. As they pressed deeper and deeper in, she saw that simple torches had been mounted at intervals in brackets along the walls.

The tunnel opened up into a huge cavern, as grand and majestic as any church. Kim could see more tunnel mouths in the far walls, doubtless leading to similar caves. The whole room was filled with gorillas. The adults lay on piles of dead grass and leaves, or squatted on the bare stone, their faces sullen. Here and there groups of their young played half-heartedly. The whole cave seemed thick with a sense of gloom.

A few young males near the tunnel mouth stirred at their approach. There were inquisitive grunts, followed by snarls. The females drew their young close to them as they edged away from the newcomers. Suddenly, a woman's voice cried out:

"Tarzan! Who are they?"

A young woman dressed in a ragged skirt and shirt approached them, winding her way between the gorillas.

Tarzan began speaking very rapidly to the young woman. It was like no language that Kim had ever heard before. If she could not see the young man's handsome face, she would have thought she was listening to an excited ape. The young woman seemed equally fluent in this strange grunting and growling, occasionally glancing from Tarzan to the group and back again. Kim suddenly became aware that the gorillas were also listening very intently to the conversation, as if they understood every word that was said.

"Can gorillas talk?" she whispered to Mickey, feeling very foolish even asking the question.

"Of course gorillas can talk; all animals talk!" said the young woman who had been speaking with Tarzan.

"They talk a darn sight better than most humans," she continued, a mischievous smile flashing across her face.

"Tarzan has told me everything that's happened, although I'm afraid we don't know your names. Mine's Jane Porter: how do you do?" she said.

When all the introductions had been made, the group settled down in a corner of the cave to take some refreshment.

"They're not… dangerous, are they?" Kim asked Jane, one eye on the gorillas.

"Oh no," said Jane breezily, "Tarzan has explained to Kerchak that you are Sora's friends and he's agreed to let you stay the night. Kerchak is head of this troop, you see."

For a while there was silence as the group helped themselves to the succulent jungle fruits Jane had brought them and quenched their thirst with water, fresh from the lagoon. Tarzan sat a little apart, eyeing the newcomers suspiciously.

"I didn't think gorillas lived in caves," Kim said to Jane.

"They don't normally," she replied, "We brought them here to hide from those _wicked _men. That was two weeks ago. We bring them food and fresh bedding when we can but we can't go out too often: their trackers are very good. At first, we went to the old tree house but we weren't careful enough."

"We saw," said Hercules.

"That's not the worst of it. We've had hunters in the jungle before but never this many, or so well equipped. They're more like an army than a hunting party. No; they're worse than an army. They kill indiscriminately. Their leaders are only after the biggest and the best trophies: anything they don't want is either shipped back to the circus or killed and left behind. It's barbaric."

"You mentioned their equipment," said Kim, "We saw three of them carrying a kind of ray-gun. Are they common on your world?"

"Ray… guns? I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about, my dear," replied Jane.

"Someone's been meddlin' here," said Mickey darkly, "Those ray-guns must have come from off-world."

"We heard them discussing the 'White Ape'," Basil told Jane, "Am I right to assume that it was Tarzan they were referring to?"

"Yes, they think he is the greatest 'prize' in the jungle," said Jane bitterly, "That devil Clayton at least has revenge as a motive: we have crossed paths before now. But the others, they just want to boast that they have killed the most dangerous creature in the jungle."

"Jane, I need to talk with Tarzan," said Mickey, "Can you translate for me?"

"Of course," said Jane. She called Tarzan over to her side and translated as Mickey explained to him why they had come to visit. It was very similar to what he had told Kim, although he placed great emphasis on Sora and the potential danger he was in.

When he had finished, Tarzan looked greatly troubled. Kim could read conflicting emotions flashing across his strong, grey eyes. When he spoke, it was slowly and very deliberately.

"Tarzan says he is very sorry to hear that Sora is missing," Jane translated, "and that he wishes you every success in your search but he cannot come with you. He must defend the troop."

"Please tell him that I understand," said Mickey, "but what is happening here, to this troop, is happening on all the worlds. If he wants to defend his people, and all other peoples out there, against men like those hunters, he must come with us."

"I think he understands," said Jane, "but he cannot leave. He is the only defender this troop has. Those men have guns; guns frighten the gorillas. If Tarzan leaves, it will only be a matter of time before they are all captured or worse."

"One man with a spear against a hundred with guns?" said Kim sceptically.

"Better one man than none," Jane replied, "He has been harrying them for days now. I think he hopes to lead them as far away from this place as he can."

"We'll help him," said Hercules, his face fairly glowing with noble sentiment.

"The five of us, unarmed against that band of cutthroats? Talk sense man!" cried Basil.

"Jane," said Mickey, his brow creased in thought, "ask Tarzan, if we help him get rid of the hunters, will he come with us?"

Tarzan nodded.

"But how will you do it?" Jane asked.

"Well, we've got some real smart people here in this cave. I'm sure if we all put our heads together we'll come up with a plan," said Mickey confidently.

So the group fell to discussing. Everyone had their say, with Mickey acting as de facto chair and Jane translating everything that was said for Tarzan. Outside the cave the sun rose, traversed its arch across the sky and descended back beneath the horizon before they could all agree on a workable plan.

That night Tarzan, Jane and Mickey's group left the cave and, dividing into three parties, descended into the jungle to make the necessary preparations. When these were completed, they returned to hidden cave to wait until sundown the next day, when they would execute their plan.

Earlier in the evening Basil had crept to the very edge of the hunters' camp, to make sure that they had not moved during the day and also to spy on their guard. Meanwhile, Tarzan, Jane and Kim were taking up their positions in the trees to the east of the camp. Kim had exchanged her usual suit of formfitting dark clothes for a loose skirt and shirt borrowed from Jane. The lighter clothes felt much more comfortable in the humid jungle but this was not why she had changed: they left her white legs and arms bare. Tying her long red hair up with a strand of jungle creeper, Kim selected a bough particularly thick with leaves and settled down to wait.

She was entirely alone. Jane was waiting half a mile further east, while Tarzan was poised within a stone's throw of the camp. The rest of the group, led by Mickey, were travelling to the western side of the camp, giving it the widest berth possible. The whole plan rested on their being in position in time.

It was another cloudless night. The rays of the tropical moon fell through the jungle roof, sprinkling the ground with yellow light. The air around Kim hummed with the sound of living things. It was oddly soothing.

A sudden scream tore through the night. Kim leapt to her feet, poised for action. Tarzan had made his move. She could hear men's voices shouting, faint in the distance, then a rifle shot. The voices drew closer, accompanied by more sporadic shooting. For a second the jungle scene was lit by a brilliant white laser beam. The group was drawing closer. She could hear the rumble of many feet, the swish and crash of machetes hacking through undergrowth and angry voices, roaring and bellowing orders.

Tarzan was past her in an instant, swinging on the jungle creepers as fast as an acrobat. Kim dived from her perch on the bough and followed him through the upper branches of the trees. There were cries of consternation from the pursuing hunters:

"Where'd that one come from?"

"There's two of 'em!"

"The ape's on the right."

"Nah, he's the one on the left."

"Just shoot 'em!"

Kim could hear the bullets whistling as they flew past her but she had been under fire enough times not to panic. A laser beam severed the bough she had swung from only a second before, narrowly missing her retreating back.

"Go!" Tarzan called over his shoulder, plunging on through the jungle.

Shifting her weight as best she could, Kim used the creeper she was swinging from to wheel right, away from Tarzan. The pursuing hunters cried out in confusion. The drumbeat of their feet slowed.

"Come on, come on," Kim murmured through gritted teeth, not daring to slow or glance back.

A moment later, to her relief, she heard running footsteps behind her.

"Hold your fire. This one is mine!" she heard Gaston cry. A moment later a laser beam flashed past her head. Whatever else he was, Gaston was no mean shot.

Kim silently cursed the darkness. Everything looked so different at night. She had no time to stop and check she was on the correct path. She was moving on pure instinct now, hands grasping at the nearest available branch or vine, her only thought for finding a safe handhold. She was not as fast as Tarzan and the hunters were gaining ground. If they drew too close they might discover the deception and double back.

It was only Gaston's wail of surprise that told Kim that she had reached her destination. Twisting in midair, she swung herself up into the leafy cover of the treetops. Peering down at the trail below, she saw that Gaston's minions had turned and fled back along the trail, leaving their chief stranded in the concealed pit he had stumbled into.

When she was sure that his men would not be returning, Kim dropped down onto the trail. She recovered the net of grass ropes that Tarzan had woven, from beneath a covering of ferns and casually dropped in on top of Gaston. His roars of defiance still ringing in her ears, Kim returned to the trees and retracted her path to the hunters' camp. She hoped that Mickey and the others had managed to fulfil their part of the plan.

The terrified screams that assailed her ears as she approached the camp soon allayed any fears she might have had. From the upper branches of a particularly tall tree she looked down on the camp and watched the chaos unfurl. The men, their chiefs off pursuing Tarzan and the imposters, were in complete disarray. Using his Keyblade, Mickey had managed to unlock many of the cages and loosed the beasts on their erstwhile captors. A few animals had been shot, their bodies lying amidst the wreckage of the tents, but most of the men seemed to have simply thrown down their weapons in terror and fled into the jungle. It was a whirlwind of teeth and fur and claws. The great leopard was bounding around the camp perimeter, swatting down those who passed with his claws. Wherever one poor unfortunate stumbled, a moment later the leopard was there, fastening its mighty jaws on his throat.

Over in the corner of the camp, Mickey was still busy freeing the last of the animals. Kim saw his Keyblade touch the manacles binding the red elephant. Free at last, the elephant gave a cry so loud that Kim could feel the earth trembling even where she sat. Wielding the manacles in its trunk the elephant ploughed into the fray, laying about the hunters with the chain like a flail.

Some of the hunters had managed to band together a little apart from the main fight and were levelling their rifles at the elephant. Before even one of them could pull the trigger Hercules, spotting their intent, had hurled one of the empty cages towards them. It scattered the hunters like a bowling ball through pins, crushing several. Kim was amazed; it was clear that Ron's talk of godlike strength had not been far wrong.

The fighting was over in an instant. Some of the animals vanished into the jungle, while others just stood and stared around in dumb confusion. None of them tried to attack Mickey or his friends, although whether this was because they recognised them as their rescuers or they were just tired Kim could not tell.

She was just about to go down to them when a white figure appeared on the edge of the camp. As he approached the great fire that still burned in the centre, Kim recognised the face of Tarzan. Clayton, bound hand and foot, was slung over his shoulder as if he weighed no more than a child. Dropping his burden before the fire, Tarzan placed his foot on Clayton's chest, threw back his head and roared.


	4. What's This?

Chapter 4 – What's This?

Kim ran a sceptical eye over her surroundings. The sleepy little tropical island did not look like the home of the universe's three greatest heroes. It looked more like a children's play area, with its ramshackle huts and the walkways running between the trees. There was a little wooden jetty, where several boats had been moored, and a bridge connecting a smaller island to the larger. On the horizon Kim could see several much larger islands, where she presumed the people of this world lived.

The other members of the League were spread out across the island, searching for clues. Hercules and Darkwing had gone round to the far side. Mickey, now wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses, had vanished into a narrow cave at the base of a rocky hill. Tarzan had made straight for the trees and was now hidden somewhere among their broad leaves. He had been very restless aboard the _Excalibur_ and the presence of trees seemed to comfort him.

Having successfully captured Clayton, Gaston and McLeach, the League had destroyed any items in the hunters' camp that could be used for trapping or killing animals. They had then left the three leaders in the hidden cave, guarded by Kerchak's troop. Mickey had been concerned that the gorillas would kill the hunters in Tarzan's absence but Jane had assured them that she would protect the prisoners until Tarzan returned.

Worried that they had spent too long in the jungle, Mickey had insisted they return to the _Excalibur _with all haste. Their next destination was the Destiny Islands, the home of Sora, Riku and Kairi, and the start of their search for the three Keybearers.

With the others off searching the rest of the island, Kim and Basil were left to comb the beach. It was a particularly beautiful spot; the beach sloping gently down to where the surf of the vivid blue ocean lapped against the white sands. For a moment Kim found herself wishing that Ron was there to enjoy this scene with her. The moment quickly passed, as Basil's voice intruded on her thoughts:

"Blast this ocean! The tide has rubbed away all the footprints. They could have marched a parade across here and I couldn't tell."

"There's gotta be something here. People don't just vanish without a trace," said Kim, "Let's try further along."

They began to walk slowly along the beach, necks bent, eyes sweeping the sands before their feet. It was not until they reached the bridge that connected the larger to the smaller island that they spotted something.

"Look, there!" Basil cried, pointing to the little island. Shielding her eyes, Kim noticed something glittering at the base of a palm tree, reflecting the bright sunlight.

Crossing the bridge, they discovered that it was a clear glass bottle, a cork stopping up the neck. Inside was a scroll of paper, sealed with a symbol of three conjoined circles; King Mickey's seal. Kim bent down to pick the bottle up.

"Wait! What do you think you are doing?!" cried Basil, "There might be finger prints on it!"

"Whoa, mouse man, chill! I do happen to be a secret agent," said Kim, pulling a pair of gloves from her belt. She had, in fact, been about to the bottle pick up with her bare hands but she was not prepared to give Basil any satisfaction by admitting her mistake.

Basil had not listened to her reply. He had disappeared beneath the trunk of a palm tree growing parallel to the ground so that its head extended out from the island and over the ocean. When he returned, he was carrying an apple in his arms. It was a little shriveled but its skin retained a strong, juicy red colour. Kim found herself salivating just looking at it. Someone had taken a large bite of it.

"Hey, you guys found anything?"

Kim and Basil turned to see Mickey, Hercules and Darkwing approaching across the bridge.

"Pretty good. How'd you guys do?" she asked.

Mickey shook his head.

"Their secret cave is deserted. No one's been in there for weeks. The door's locked good and tight too."

"There's nothing on the other side of the island," said Hercules, "And I don't think Tarzan found anything in the trees."

"Your Majesty, isn't this your seal?" said Kim, holding out the bottle for them to see.

"Yep. That's the message I sent about a month ago," said Mickey thoughtfully, "It looks like they never got it."

"We also found this," said Basil, holding up the apple as high as he was able.

Mickey frowned.

"Have you guys seen any apple trees on this island?" he asked. They all shook their heads.

"Maybe it came from one of the other islands?" suggested Kim.

"Maybe," said Mickey thoughtfully, "I think we'd better take these back to the ship for testing. Good job, guys!"

When they had finally succeeded in persuading Tarzan to come down from the trees, the group returned to the _Excalibur_.

Mickey opened a wardrobe in one corner of the cabin to reveal a miniature laboratory equipped with a tangle of glass tubes, beakers and Bunsen burners. There was even a miniature cabinet filled with rows of brightly coloured bottles.

Basil leapt up into the wardrobe. Swapping his greatcoat for a white lab coat, he immediately set to work preparing his equipment. The others watched anxiously, not speaking for fear of interrupting.

First, he covered the message bottle with a fine white powder. Then, with the aid of a stepladder, he used something resembling a toothbrush to gently dust the surface of the bottle for fingerprints. When he had finished he stood back, lit his pipe and considered the bottle thoughtfully.

"There appear to be two distinct sets of prints," he said, at length, "One of them definitely belongs to a young human girl. The other I am not so sure about but I believe it is most likely a human boy.

"Your Majesty, did any of your friends have a habit of wearing gloves?"

"Yes," said Mickey slowly, "Sora did but I think they were fingerless."

Basil gave an annoyed grunt and sucked at his pipe.

"I'm afraid, Your Majesty, that unless you can provide me with definite samples of your friends' fingerprints, I cannot tell you who has handled this bottle."

As Mickey possessed no such samples, Basil turned his attention to the apple. Using a penknife no longer than the blade you find in a pencil sharpener he cut away a number of thin slices from the soft inner flesh of the apple revealed by the bite mark. He then began to conduct a series of tests on the samples. Some he placed in beakers and mixed up with vivid chemicals selected from his cabinet. Others he burned or immersed in smoke. They were boiled and braised, mashed and grated. Each time a test failed to satisfy him Basil would frown, shake his head and begin the next experiment with a renewed fervour.

It was only when he mixed a slice with two violently pink chemicals, having first brought them to boil, that he achieved a result that seemed to please him. A mushroom cloud of green smoke erupted from the beaker, sending Basil rushing to the far side of his laboratory coughing violently. The others drew back too; the smoke was putrid with the smell of rot and decay.

"Excellent," Basil wheezed, wiping away the tears that streamed from his eyes, "Most excellent!"

"What is it?" asked Darkwing, covering his nose with his cape.

"Haven't the foggiest," said Basil, "Magic's not my department, my dear fellow."

"Magic?" said Hercules.

"Oh yes, that's black magic you're smelling; dark sorcery of the worst kind," said Basil, "Someone has placed an evil spell on this apple. I'm afraid you'll have to take it to a magician to find out exactly what kind though."

The group all turned to Mickey, as the only one of the company with any skill in magic. Mickey shook his head.

"I don't know anythin' about dark magic," he said, shaking his head, "but I know someone who does."

* * *

As the League entered the train station Kim made sure to walk as far apart from the rest as she could. Even if you ignored Mickey and Darkwing, Tarzan was very embarrassing to be seen with. Not only was he naked, save for a ragged loincloth (he had he refused all clothing offered to him), he was walking along on his knuckles, like the apes he had been raised by. Kim made a mental note never to think of her parents as embarrassing ever again; the League almost made them look normal.

"Remind me why we can't just take the gummi-ship?" Kim said to Mickey, conscious of people's stares.

"Gummi-ships can't take us where we need to go. You've gotta take the train," said Mickey.

Having paid for their tickets at the kiosk, Mickey led them up the stairs and onto the platform. The platforms were all inside a large redbrick hall, well lit by large windows. It was quite busy but nobody appeared to be in a hurry. There was a lazy, genial feeling in the air and people were taking their time.

"Which train's ours?" Hercules asked Mickey.

"It'll be here any second… now" Mickey replied.

At that exact moment, a train pulled up in front of them. It was pulled by an actual steam engine which, like the carriages, was painted a rich blue and decorated with a pattern of moons and stars. The door of the nearest carriage slid open.

"Where's the guard?" Kim asked. There was no one else on the platform; no other passengers or staff.

"There isn't one. This is a private train," Mickey explained.

They were about to board when Tarzan froze. He was sniffing the air and staring warily at the open doorway.

"It's alright, Tarzan, it's just a train," said Hercules gently.

Tarzan shook his head and grunted nervously.

"Look, it's OK," said Kim impatiently "It's not gonna eat you or anything: it's just a train."

"Danger," said Tarzan, shaking his head again.

It took them a long time to persuade Tarzan to board. As soon as they were all aboard the carriage door slid closed behind them. The engine gave a toot on its whistle and the train began to pull slowly out of the station.

"Just sit back and relax fellas," said Mickey, "It takes about half an hour to get there."

The interior of the carriage was like a public tram, with two long benches facing across a central aisle. While the others took their seats, Kim went to stand by the window and get a better look at Twilight Town.

It was a sleepy little place, built on the side of a hill. The buildings were of orange and yellow stone and capped with red roofs. The light of the heavy summer evening sun seemed to dust the town with gold.

Suddenly, a dark shape passed across the window. Kim started. She spun round. Her eyes swept over the other windows. Another shape was moving quickly along the far side of carriage. She spun back round. Another had just passed again on the side closest to her. She caught a glimpse of two round yellow eyes and then the shape was gone.

The rest of League leapt to their feet.

"It's the Heartless!" Hercules cried.

"Danger!" Tarzan shouted angrily, as if it had been obvious all along.

"They're heading for the engine," said Mickey, summoning his keyblade to his hand, "If they disconnect the carriage before we reach the tunnel we'll be stranded!"

"Not if Darkwing Duck has anything to say about it!"

"Wait, Darkwing…!" Mickey shouted but Darkwing had already thrown open the carriage door. A moment later and he was climbing after the Heartless along the outside of the carriage.

With a crash Tarzan burst through a window on the opposite side of the carriage and vanished, scrambling nimbly along the side of the train.

"Kim! Go after them!" Mickey ordered, "Hercules, with me!"

Kim nodded, already heading for the open door. Mickey and Hercules disappeared into the next carriage, head towards the engine.

Kim grasped the lintel of the open door and swung herself up onto the carriage roof. The train was now travelling along a viaduct overlooking the lower districts on the town. The drop on either side was well over fifty feet. The wind was fierce up here. Kim could feel it plucking at her hair and clothes. It was making the train sway even more pronounced, making it difficult for Kim to keep her balance.

There were three carriages between her and the engine. Dozens of Heartless were crawling along the side and roof of the carriages like big, black insects. On her left, Darkwing was leaning out from the carriage, launching boxing gloves at the Heartless from his gas gun. A few were knocked off but the swaying of the train seemed to be affecting his aim. On the right, Tarzan had almost caught up with the rearmost Heartless. Kim bounded forwards, afraid that Tarzan would be hurled from the train if the Heartless turned on him.

Tarzan reached the Heartless while she was still half a carriage length away. His long, sinewy arm whipped out, grabbed a Heartless by the leg and plucked it from the train. One of its fellows turned and launched itself at Tarzan. Tarzan swung himself back. The Heartless's claws smashed a window, showering the compartment inside with broken glass. Tarzan grasped the Heartless's neck and wrenched it from the side of the carriage.

Kim was now on the roof directly above Tarzan. One of the Heartless in front of her turned, breaking away from the group that was scuttling towards the engine. Kim kicked at its head. The Heartless ducked, slashing at her as it came back up upright. Kim blocked the blow with her forearm, followed by an open palmed strike to its chest. The Heartless tumbled, head over heels, across the roof.

There was a loud crash, as what appeared to be part of a bench came flying out through the side of the carriage ahead, taking a group of Heartless with it. The remaining Heartless seemed totally unaware of their fellow's demise. They carried on toward the engine with a single intent. Kim and Tarzan pressed on but the Heartless were making them fight every step of the way. They did not have especially good balance but they were utterly fearless, while Kim and Tarzan had to be careful not to fall.

Glancing ahead, Kim saw flashes of light coming from the gap between the foremost carriage and the engine. Every now and again she would see a Heartless flying up into the air as if fired from a cannon. Swatting the last of the Heartless aside, Kim sprinted the length of the last carriage. The train bucked and swayed beneath her. She could feel the blood thundering in her ears, aware that a single misstep would pitch her to certain death at the foot of the viaduct.

Reaching the end of the carriage she peered down to see Mickey standing on the footplate of the engine, Hercules kneeling beside him. He was holding the couplings that had linked the engine and the carriage together, arms shuddering with the effort.

"Your Majesty, what happened?" Kim called down.

"A Heartless cut through the couplings," said Mickey, "How far are we from the tunnel?"

Kim looked up. The end of the viaduct was rapidly approaching. From there it disappeared into a round tunnel mouth and into a hillside.

"You've got thirty seconds, at most," Kim said.

"No problem!" Mickey replied. Reaching down, he touched the broken couplings with the tip of his keyblade. The couplings glowed with a bright white light. When Hercules brought his hands back, the couplings had been repaired. Kim dropped down beside Mickey and Hercules. The next second, the engine was roaring into the tunnel.

A quick sweep of the carriages confirmed that there were no Heartless left aboard. Both Darkwing and Tarzan had managed to climb back inside before they entered the tunnel and were waiting for them, with Basil, in their original compartment.

"How did the Heartless get aboard the train? I didn't see anyone else get on," said Hercules.

"I don't know," said Mickey darkly, "But I've got a hunch that they were planted here. This wasn't just a random attack."

"Sabotage?" suggested Darkwing.

"Could be," said Mickey.

The train had now left the tunnel. Kim stared through the window, amazed at the change in the surroundings. There were stars all around them, above and below. On either side were the ghostly shapes of pine trees that kept fading in and out of view. Aurora of every colour chased each other across the sky above them.

The train began to slow. Crossing over to the other side of the carriage, Kim saw that they were approaching a very tall tower. It was sat in the middle of a round lawn that appeared to be floating unsupported in space. The tower itself was yellow, crooked and capped with a pointed roof. Like the train, it was decorated with a pattern of moons and stars.

"Here we are," said Mickey brightly as the train finally slowed to a stop.

When they had all disembarked onto the lawn the carriage door closed and the train pulled away. It appeared to be running on tracks made of light, visible only a few meters in front and behind it. The rearmost carriage had just pulled away from the lawn when the train began to fade, as if disappearing into a thick fog. A few seconds later and it had vanished completely.

"Err… guys? How do we… get back?" Kim asked but the others were following Mickey to the door at the foot of the tower.

The tower's entrance hall was much bigger than it looked on the outside. Kim actually went back outside to double check. A spiral staircase took them up through progressively larger halls, all decorated with the same stars and moon pattern and all much too big to fit in the slender tower they had seen on the outside. They met no one.

At the very top of the stairs they came to a set of tall double doors. Mickey reached up and knocked reverently.

"Enter," commanded a deep voice from within.

Opening the door, they found themselves in a round, book-lined study. Seated before them, in a high chair behind a reading desk, was a tall and stern faced old man. He was wearing blue robes and a pointed blue hat, decorated with stars and half-moons.

"Master Yen Sid," said Mickey dropping to one knee. The other members of the League quickly copied him, although Darkwing had to be dragged down by Hercules.

"Greetings, my apprentice," said Yen Sid.

"Rise, and let me look at your faces," he instructed.

The League stood and waited, feeling very awkward as he considered them each in turn.

"Yes… very good. You have chosen well, my apprentice," he said, "The League of Heroes is an ancient tradition, found on many worlds. Such alliances can be very powerful. Past Leagues have accomplished great things. I have high hopes for this one."

"Master Sid, I have worrying news," said Mickey, "The Heartless tried to attack your train."

"The Heartless?" said Yen Sid thoughtfully, "They have never attempted such a thing before. This is troubling news."

"Could someone have put them on the train?" Kim asked tentatively. She felt like she was in the principal's office, or visiting a very old and dignified relative.

"It is possible," said Yen Sid.

"You should all be very cautious," he continued, "Your enemies are clearly resourceful and ruthless. This is only the beginning of your troubles.

"But let us come to the point: why are you here?"

"Master Sid, we have come seeking information," said Mickey, producing the apple they had found on the Destiny Islands.

"Someone has cast a spell of dark magic on this apple," Mickey explained, "We hoped that you could tell us what it is, and who might have cast it."

Yen Sid took the apple. Balancing it on the very tips of his fingers, he first rotated the apple very slowly, examining its surface in detail. Then he began to make complicated gestures over it. Lights began to play around the apple, dancing and reforming into strange patterns. Yen Sid then made the apple levitate into the air. A cocoon of clear crystal appeared to encase it. It then settled down on the desk before Yen Sid.

"You were right to bring this to me;" he said gravely, "The apple has a powerful curse on it. In its most potent form, a single bite would have killed you."

The members of the League blanched. Mickey gave a cry of alarm:

"No! Then… are my friends…?"

"Calm yourself. I said, 'in its most potent form'. Whether through design or a weakness in the casting, the spell is not at its full strength. It would render you unconscious, beyond the reach of all but the strongest white magic, but it would not kill you."

The League released its collective breath.

"Who could have cast such a terrible spell?" Mickey asked.

"It is powerful black magic," Yen Sid mused, "There are few individuals who possess the strength to cast it, even in this, weakened, form."

"Could it be Xehanort?" said Mickey quietly, as if afraid to even suggest the possibility.

"No," said Yen Sid, "Xehanort has not returned. I would know of it."

"Maleficent?"

"The witch is still imprisoned in the dark realm," said Yen Sid, "She and her companion, Pete, were trapped in Organisation XIII's stronghold when it fell. I do not think they could return without help."

"So it's a dead end? After all that?" said Darkwing.

"I'm afraid it looks that way," said Mickey sadly.

"Fear not, Your Majesty!" cried Basil. While Mickey and Yen Sid had been talking, Basil had crossed over to a reading desk standing against the study wall. He had been leafing through the book left open there and now carried it across to Yen Sid. The spine were the words: 'Dictionary of Divination'.

"Look," said Basil, pointing to the heading on the page he had been reading, "it says that this compass is enchanted to point to the object of your heart's desire. It's perfect; it could lead us straight to Your Majesty's missing friends!"

Yen Sid frowned and studied the entry carefully.

"Yes, this might be able to help you," he said at length.

"Do you know where we can find it, master?" Mickey asked.

"I do not," said Yen Sid, shaking his head, "This is voodoo magic. I know little about it."

"Then it's another dead end!" snapped Darkwing.

"Not so," said Yen Sid, "You must seek out Tia Dalma. Some call her the Voodoo Lady; she is the most powerful mistress of that art. She will know where the compass is to be found."

"And where can we find her?" Mickey asked.

"She lives on an island, hidden in the Caribbean Sea," said Yen Sid, "No gummi-ship can take you there. You will have to hire a sailing ship and a navigator who knows those waters. And there is only one port where you will find both these things: Tortuga."

* * *

_Author's note: Yen Sid is the Sorcerer from 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' section of 'Fantasia'_


	5. Professional Pirate

Chapter 5: Professional Pirate 

"This," said Kim, picking her way through the mud, "is so not what I signed up for."

It had been bad enough when Mickey had presented them with their disguises. Her initial reaction had been to reject her costume, but when even Tarzan had consented to wear breeches and a shirt she had felt unable to refuse. Kim was sure she would have died of embarrassed if any of her classmates could have seen her in that baggy, ill-fitting suit, knee boots and tri-corn hat. Sadly, she was not even the worst dressed in the League. Darkwing had gone overboard and wore both a peg leg and eye patch, which meant he kept banging into things. Kim had expected them to be spotted for outsiders straightaway but they wandered almost unnoticed through Tortuga's chaotic streets.

The island port was built beside a natural harbour, sheltered from both storms and naval attack, and as such was crowded with sailing vessels. There were tiny sloops and _pinnaces_, stout merchantmen, sleek frigates and, towering over all the rest, galleons bristling with cannon, their gilt decoration shining bright in the torchlight. It was a pirate haven and there was not a vice that was not eagerly catered for: drunks quaffed jars of rums in the street; knots of gamblers sat hunched over cards and dice; painted ladies hallooed passersby from alleyways, offering pleasurable company for a reasonable price. The narrow, filthy streets between the ramshackle buildings rang to the sound of roaring, quarrelling, cursing, and fighting. Through this carnival of sin, the League passed without comment or incident.

They made some enquiries of the more sober locals, asking where they might find a ship for hire. The general consensus directed them to a large tavern just off the waterfront. Its lower floor was open to the street. Inside, they could see all manner of buccaneers and scoundrels seated at small tables, drinking, smoking and gambling their ill-gotten loot away. Serving wenches slalomed between them, some trying to avoid the lecherous hands of their customers, others positively welcoming them.

"We'll split up in here," said Mickey, "Try and find a captain who looks trustworthy."

"Trustworthy? In this town?!" said Kim.

"Well… less dishonest, then," said Mickey awkwardly. He plainly did not like to speak badly of anyone, even a pirate.

The League divided into pairs: Mickey and Tarzan, Kim and Darkwing, with Basil riding on Hercules's shoulder, and began to move across the taproom. Although many captains were willing to hire their ship out, for an often extortionate fee, they would suddenly become very reticent when the League members mentioned their destination.

"Tia Dalma? Oh no! You've got the wrong ship."

"Up river? Are you mad? I ain't goin' up there, not for no money!"

"Be off with you! Don't you know it's bad luck to speak of the Voodoo Lady?"

Disheartened by yet another rejection, Kim and Darkwing purchased two tankards of grog (a vile mixture of rum and water) and retired to a dark corner of the taproom to consider their next move. While they were brooding over their drinks a stranger slid up to their table; there was no other way to describe his movements. Kim doubted that he could move normally; his every gesture seemed slick with grease and his expression was one of permanent cunning. It did not help that he was a fox, albeit one wearing a battered top hat.

"Say, friends, mind if I join you?" he said, sitting down on the bench opposite them. He did not wait for a reply but continued in the same easy, friendly manner:

"The name's Foulfellow, J. W. Foulfellow. And this is my associate and lifelong friend, Gideon."

He gestured offhand to a tattered and rather simple looking cat standing at his elbow.

"Listen, whatever you're selling…" Kim began but Foulfellow cut across her:

"You're not interested. But of course; why would you be, when you have not heard my proposal yet? You're sceptical, cynical, mistrustful, to be sure, but do not let my face put you off; an unfortunate inheritance but I assure you, the only one from my less than illustrious ancestors. After all, am I not known as 'Honest' John?"

Gideon nodded enthusiastically.

"And I promise, dear friends, that you will be most interested when you have heard what I have to say. Why, do I not bring news of the most exciting, the most thrilling enterprise to have been concocted in the whole history of your prestigious calling? It is an opportunity that Morgan himself would have given his right arm to be party to."

"No sale," said Kim, deliberately turning back to her grog.

"It is entirely your choice, of course," said Foulfellow, not in the least put out by this cold reception, "All my employer asks is that you give his offer your fullest consideration. There is to be a council, just a little informal gathering, on the Isla de Engano in three days time. Just present this to the guard," he held up a silver coin, engraved with the skull and crossbones on one face and a letter 'Z' on the other, "and tell them that 'Honest' John sent you."

Utterly out of patience, Kim snatched the coin from Foulfellow's fingers.

"Now will you leave us alone?!" she snarled, half rising out her chair.

"But of course. Good day, miss," he said, tipping his hat and vanishing into the taproom.

"What was that all about?" said Darkwing. Kim shrugged. She was considering seeking out Mickey and suggesting they try a different tavern, when someone hissed at them from above their heads.

Their table was just beneath the overhang of the second floor balcony that overlooked the taproom. Basil was hanging upside down from one of the balustrades by his tail.

"I say, I've found it!" he whispered as Kim and Darkwing drew closer.

"What, a ship?" said Kim eagerly.

"No, blast it: _it. _The compass!" said Basil, "That oaf Hercules was getting nowhere, so I thought I'd do a bit of snooping upstairs and, by Jove, I've found it!"

It was the work of moments for Kim and Darkwing to reach the stairs to the balcony. On the second floor there was another, smaller taproom with a corridor on the far left leading off to private rooms where clientele could retire to sleep and enjoy further entertainment.

"There," Basil whispered, hopping up onto Kim's shoulder and pointing to a far corner of the taproom. A pirate was sat there alone, his feet on the table and his hat over his face. At his belt there hung a small black compass.

"Are you sure that's _the _compass?" said Kim.

"Absolutely," said Basil peevishly.

"Then we shall demand that he relinquish it, in the name of justice!" Darkwing cried, puffing out his chest and striding towards the pirate.

"Wait, no!" Kim cried, diving after him.

"Sir! We would speak with you!" said Darkwing, standing before the pirate and drawing himself up to his full, if not very impressive height.

The pirate raised his hat and regarded them with hazy and unfocused eyes.

"Do I know you?" he asked, with a slight slur to his words.

"We demand…" Darkwing began

"… to buy you a drink!" Kim finished hurriedly.

The pirate considered her carefully, and then smiled with an expression of pure mischief.

"My pleasure, lass," he said, indicating that they should take a seat. Kim blushed slightly: he was the first person to recognise her for a girl and his look was making her feel uncomfortable, as if he could see right through her clothes.

"What will you have, Mister…?"

"Rum and it's captain, if you please: Captain Jack Sparrow."

While they waited for their drinks, Kim considered Sparrow from across the table. He had a very handsome face, behind the beard and moustache. His hair was woven into ragged dreadlocks and adorned with a variety of trinkets. He appeared to be very unsteady, as if he were punch drunk, but Kim could detect something indefinable, yet sharp, behind the façade: something between fierce intelligence and low cunning.

The drinks arrived. Sparrow had taken no more than a sip of his rum when he said, quite suddenly:

"So, what is that you'll be wanting of me?"

"What makes you think we want something?" said Kim.

"Lass, there's no such thing as a free drink, especially not in this town," said Sparrow, "So let's be havin' it: what is it that you want from ol' Jack? Persons rescued? Lost treasure recovered? Enemies scuttled and shiskebabed? Or perhaps…" he said, leaning in closer to Kim, "you require services of a more… intimate variety?"

"Eww… no," said Kim, edging away from Sparrow.

"Listen, buddy," said Darkwing irritably, slapping his hand on the table, "let's cut to the chase. We need your compass and we need it now!"

Sparrow's eyes widened suddenly but his movements were slow and easy as he titled his chair back.

"They're two bob down the market," he said easily, "I know a guy who can make you a real nice one; he'll carve your name and birthday on it and everything."

"Don't play dumb with me," said Darkwing, "We need your compass; your _magic_ compass, understand?"

"Please," Kim added, "we really do need it. It's for a very important mission."

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline your most generous offer," said Sparrow, rising from the table, "You see, this compass has tremendous sentimental value to me; wouldn't part with it for the world."

Darkwing shot to his feet.

"We're not done here!" he cried, "We're not leaving without that compass!"

"Are you not? Well, that puts a different complexion on things entirely," Sparrow said softly.

Kim had expected Sparrow to make a move but she was still caught off guard. He moved with a speed and assurance totally belied by his woozy behaviour. He snatched up his stool and hurled it at Darkwing. With his other hand he seized his empty flagon and threw it across the balcony. It struck a bystander in the back of the head. The buccaneer turned and punched the man standing directly behind him, who staggered into a third man, which set another group of men to fighting. In a few seconds the entire second floor had descended into a roaring melee. Chairs and bottles crisscrossed in the air above them. One man was hurled bodily over the balcony by two others, shattering a table in the taproom below. A moment later and the brawl had engulfed the entire tavern.

Kim ducked to avoid a randomly hurled candlestick. When she looked up again she saw Sparrow rushing headlong towards the stairs.

"Stop him!" she shouted, spotting the rest of the League coming up the staircase, and pointing to Sparrow," Stop him! He's got the compass!"

Hercules began to plough through the mass of struggling pirates, his massive arms hurling them aside as if they were little children. Sparrow, hearing Kim's cry, span on his heel and made for the corridor. Kim and Darkwing moved to block his escape. Suddenly a gang of pirates rushed upon them from their left. Kim easily avoided their drunken blows but she could no longer reach Sparrow. With League members both in front and behind, Sparrow took the only available escape route. Slaloming easily between the brawlers, he dived straight through a window, spraying the street below with pieces of the wooden lattice.

Hercules and Tarzan made short work of clearing a path across the second floor. The tropic moon was high over Tortuga as the League gathered at the window. They could clearly see Sparrow scrambling across the sloping slate roof of the building opposite, arms flailing wildly to keep balance.

"He's heading for the docks!" said Hercules.

"Back to the stairs!" cried Darkwing.

"There's no time," said Mickey, shaking his head.

"Tarzan," he said, turning to the ape-man, "we can't let him get away. Bring him back!"

Tarzan flashed them a joyful smile. Leaping onto the sill of the window, he tore the shirt from his back. Then, with that terrible cry they had first heard echoing among the jungle trees, he leapt from the window and after Sparrow.

* * *

Tarzan did not really understand what was happening. He had not understood how travelling in that uncomfortable metal box, or walking through this stinking town dressed in uncomfortable and unfamiliar clothes was helping Sora. This, however, was simple. One animal ran, another pursued; it was the law of the jungle. He, the predator, would match his strength and cunning with that of this other man, his prey. What this man had done, or why Mickey wanted him caught, he did not know. His jungle instinct told him all he needed to know: one ran, the other pursued.

The roofs, balconies and stairways of Tortuga made an interesting landscape for his hunt. He enjoyed leaping the gaps between the buildings, sometimes only reaching the far side with a single outstretched hand. He bounced from washing line to washing line, his toes gripping the ropes as expertly as his fingers. He sprinted along the narrow peaks of the slate roofs; this proved a poor challenge to one used to traversing the slenderest of tree branches.

Sparrow, once he realised he was being pursued, proved to be fine sport. Although not as agile as Tarzan, he seemed utterly without fear, taking many desperate leaps that could easily have broken his neck. He tried to lose him by zigzagging through chimneypots or doubling back inside buildings but Tarzan was always just behind him.

Tarzan was almost upon him when they came to the waterfront. Tarzan's heart leapt when he saw the thicket of masts, yards and rigging ahead of him; it was almost a forest. Sparrow bounded from a roof and along the narrow arm of a crane. At the end he grasped a rope trailing from the yardarm of a nearby ship and swung himself into the rigging. With a whoop of delight, Tarzan followed. Here the competition was even more unequal, for although Sparrow was more familiar with a ship's rigging, there was not a man alive who could outpace Tarzan of the Apes when there was a good supply of hanging ropes to hand.

He came alongside Sparrow just as he had seized a rope that would swing him between two ships' masts. Grabbing the rope beside Sparrow's, Tarzan followed. He was about to barge into Sparrow with his shoulder and knock him from his rope when he noticed the moonlight shining on the drawn sword in Sparrow's hand. With a grunt of frustration Tarzan swung aside and followed Sparrow, now keeping abreast of him but careful not to draw too close.

The chase at last came to an end when Sparrow landed on the deck of a ship hung with black sails. He began bawling for help, rapping his sword against the ship's bell. Even as Tarzan landed cat-like on the deck beside him, the crew of pirates were emerging from below, armed and ready to fight. Tarzan's eyes swept the advancing buccaneers in an instant: even unarmed, he knew he was stronger than any single one of them. All expect for Sparrow. Their chase had taught Tarzan respect for the strange pirate captain and now that he had the opportunity to inspect him more closely he found that he was very wary of him. Something did not smell quite right about Sparrow and Tarzan was reluctant to make a move against him.

"Now matey," said Sparrow, levelling his sword at Tarzan but making no attempt to close with him, "I've no quarrel with ye: you chased me. I'm a fair, dishonest pirate, so what's say you swing off back to the shore and we'll have no more of this unpleasantness, eh?"

"I quite agree, Captain Sparrow," said a voice. The crew stared around fearfully, for there was no speaker to be seen. A dark hole, black against the night, appeared in the air. A man, very tall and broad, stepped out onto the deck beside Sparrow and Tarzan.

"And I will leave, as soon as you have surrendered that fascinating compass of yours to me," he said. He wore an opera suit, complete with cape, white gloves and cane. His collar was so high and the brim of his top hat drawn so low that his face could not be seen at all. His voice was pleasant and mellow.

"And supposing I refuse?" said Sparrow, turning his sword on the newcomer. Tarzan tensed, ready to spring, but he was still covered by a dozen swords and knew that to move meant almost certain death.

"I shall not ask again, Captain," said the man in the opera suit. He held out his hand:

"The compass, if you please."

"Mr Gibbs," said Sparrow, reaching for the pistol at his belt, "toss this lubber over the side, if you please."

Before Gibbs had even taken a step, a second figure burst from the dark portal. He moved so fast that Tarzan could barely follow his movements. Using a strange curved sword, he cut Sparrow's cutlass in two, sending the tip of the blade shivering into the foremast. Thrusting Sparrow's left hand away from his pistol, the newcomer held the point of his sword at Sparrow's throat. The pirates around him surged forward to defend their chief.

"Stay!" Sparrow cried frantically, waving his free arm at them, "Stay, damn you!"

It made a pretty tableau and for a few brief moments Tarzan was able to get a good look at the swordsman who had so easily overcome Sparrow. His clothes were dark and he wore a strange helmet, smooth and white like a skull. The visor was black and set with two large, round diamonds. His hair, what little of it could be seen poking out from the back of the helmet, was so white that it appeared to glow silver in the moonlight. The sword he carried was of a very strange design, like a giant bat's wing with a white feathered wing growing at a right angle from the tip.

Tarzan's view was then obscured as the man in the opera suit stepped between them. Reaching down, he snatched the compass from Sparrow's belt and pocketed it without ceremony.

"My thanks for your co-operation, Captain Sparrow," he said smoothly. The swordsman let Sparrow go, and then the two strangers stepped back into the dark portal, which closed behind them. The pirate crew, their leader finally released, rushed forward but could find no trace of the strangers or the mysterious portal they had left by. Nor could they find the man who had pursued their captain, for Tarzan had quietly slipped away in the confusion.

* * *

_Author's note: 'Honest' John and Gideon are the two rogues who led Pinocchio astray. The man in the opera suit will remain a mystery for a little while longer..._


	6. Where a Million Diamonds Shine

Chapter 6: Where a Million Diamonds Shine

"It must have been Riku," said Mickey, his ears drooping so far down that they almost touched his shoulders.

"Are you positive this is the weapon he used, old chap?" Basil said, examining the crude pencil drawing. Tarzan nodded.

The League was back aboard the _Excalibur, _clustered around the cabin table. Tarzan had explained what had happened after he had left tavern as best he could. When he had mentioned the young, white haired swordsman, Mickey had insisted that Tarzan draw the weapon he had seen him use.

"It's Riku's keyblade alright," said Mickey sadly, "Nobody else could use it."

"But why would Riku want the compass?" Kim said.

"I am more interested in the identity of the man with him," said Basil, "From Tarzan's description, it would appear that Your Majesty's friend is in cahoots with this rogue, but to what purpose?"

"I say we should be more concerned about this pirate meeting," said Darkwing, holding up the token Foulfellow had given to him and Kim, "I'd wager there's some manner of foul skulduggery afoot on the Isla de Engano."

"But the compass…" began Hercules but Darkwing cut across him:

"The compass is gone: vanished into thin air, according to jungle boy here. This coin is the only lead we have left."

"I guess you're right," sighed Mickey, "I'd sure like to find Riku but he could be _anywhere_. I suppose we should just be glad he's alive. Tomorrow, we'll go back into town and find out where…"

An alert siren in the cockpit interrupted him.

"What is it?" Kim asked, as the rest of the League followed Mickey up into the cockpit.

"An emergency message," he replied, seating himself in the pilot's chair, "It's from my home."

A panel on the dashboard flipped over to reveal a small view screen. After a few seconds of blurry static, the faces of two anxious chipmunks snapped into focus.

"Your Majesty!"

"Terrible news!" they squeaked, one after the other.

"What's wrong?" asked Mickey, his grave expression sitting strangely on his wide, animal face.

"We got a message from Radiant Garden."

"It's Scrooge," said the chipmunks.

"What's happened to him?" said Mickey.

"Not him; it's his nephews."

"They've been kidnapped!"

"Kidnapped? Tell Scrooge I'll be there as soon I can," said Mickey, hands already reaching for switches that activated the ship's engines.

"Will do, Your Majesty!" said the chipmunks, saluting smartly.

Mickey deactivated the communicator and turned to speak to the League:

"Sorry guys but I'm gonna have to put our mission on hold. Scrooge is an old friend o' mine."

"No big, Your Majesty," said Kim, settling into a passenger seat behind him, "We understand."

"Need we think of this as a diversion from our mission?" said Basil, "Two disappearances, both of people close to Your Majesty: there may be some deeper connection."

The warp jump from Tortuga to Radiant Garden was short, although no more comfortable for that. The town was built at the bottom of an icy valley and surrounded by a high wall of grey stone. From there, red slate roofs rose up to the foot of a great dark rock, on top of which the foundations of a castle were under construction. It looked over half built, its white marble walls besieged by cranes and scaffolding.

Mickey brought the _Excalibur _down on a landing pad near a busy marketplace, where he disembarked without bothering to activate the Chameleon Circuit.

"Your Majesty!" called a tall man, who was waiting for them at the edge of the landing pad.

"Leon!" Mickey cried, smiling warmly. The two old friends embraced, although Leon had to bend almost double for the King to reach around his neck.

"My friends," said Mickey, introducing the League one by one. Kim could not help but be impressed. Leon was very tall and trim, with a handsome face beneath a mane of long, dark hair. He dressed practically, in black leather. The handle of the curious 'gunblade' that hung at his side was worn smooth from repeated use. His manner was taciturn and business-like.

"You got the message?" he said to Mickey as soon as the introductions were over.

"Yes. Where is Scrooge?"

"Over at Merlin's place. He doesn't think he'll be safe on his own. This way."

Leon led them through the streets of Radiant Garden, with Mickey at his side. Kim, who was just behind them, overheard their conversation.

"How have you guys been coping?" Mickey asked, "Have you had any trouble?"

"A few more Heartless than usual but that's all," said Leon, "We're pretty safe here. We hear all about it though.

"This town's become a haven for refugees. They come here with nothing: those villains have taken everything they own," there was real anger in his voice now, "And they kill or imprison anyone who resists."

"But you guys are safe?" said Mickey.

"For now," said Leon, with a shrug, "Yuffie and I can handle a few Heartless. We've got Merlin and Cid, and Tron too, if things get serious. I wish Cloud was here though."

"He's still missing?"

"Yeah. Tifa's gone looking for him, of course. It's been nearly six months. I thought he'd have come back by now."

"He's still looking for him, huh?"

"Yeah, and we'd be in real trouble if _he _returned."

They were now approaching what could only be a wizard's house. The roof, covered in red slates, rose to a point in an imitation of a traditional magician's hat. A large brass telescope protruded from an upper window and the very peak of the roof was clustered with weather vanes and other, more arcane instruments.

Inside there was only one large room, filled with all manner clutter and oddity. Books dominated, seated on shelves or raised in tottering piles on the floor. There were maps and charts; clusters of models hanging from the ceiling; crystal balls and rust eaten cauldrons; all crammed together without a trace of organisation. A bed had been forced in between two mounds. The only free space was on the stone dais, near the centre of the room, where three people sat drinking tea around a table set with a white cloth.

A skinny old man with a long white beard and pointed blue hat, who Kim guessed must have been Merlin, and a startlingly beautiful young woman in a pink and white dress, were trying and failing to console a large white duck seated between them. He wore a blue jacket, top hat and a pair of pince-nez balanced on his beak.

"Yer Majesty!" he cried, standing and doffing his top hat at the sight of Mickey.

"Scrooge, please, tell me everything," said Mickey. The young woman stood up so that Mickey could sit. The League gathered in close as Scrooge told his tale:

"I first noticed that the bairns were missin' yesterday evenin'. I went tae call on them as they were shuttin' up shop, as is mae habit. I found the shutters still up and half their merchandise still on display. When no-one answered mae hails, I ventured to try the back door but found it locked. Knowin' the hidin' place of their spare key, I let maeself in. The shop was deserted and this note was… was pinned tae the wall!"

Overcome with emotion, Scrooge began to sob incoherently. While Merlin plied Scrooge with more tea, Mickey took the proffered note and read it aloud:

"Mister McDuck. I have kidnapped your three nephews. If you wish to see them alive again, you will pay me the sum of ten billion Munny. Leave the Munny at the entrance to the Great Maw. If you attempt to trap me, or to rescue your nephews, you will never see them again. I will be watching you.

"And it's just signed B," Mickey concluded, placing the note on the table.

Kim gave a low whistle:

"Ten billion!"

"Aye, it's small change, right enough" sniffed Scrooge, "but I'm afeared that he'll nae release them even if I do pay up."

"He doesn't mention releasing them at all," said Leon darkly.

"Do you really think he could be watching us?" Hercules asked, glancing suspiciously at the windows.

"Unlikely," said Merlin, "This town is defended by a highly advanced computer system and my house is under some particularly powerful wards. All the same, we must be cautious; we are clearly dealing with a ruthless man."

"Your Majesty, may I have a look at the note?" said Basil, climbing onto the table.

"Of course," said Mickey, pushing it towards Basil.

All eyes in the room were now on Basil as he slowly circled the note, examining it intently. He dropped onto all fours, laid his head flat against the surface of the table, and peered across its surface. Then he produced a magnifying glass from his coat and carefully examined the paper, inch by inch.

"Sir," he said, turning to address Merlin, "would you possess such a thing as a microscope?"

A few minute's search, which at times resembled an archaeological dig, produced a tarnished brass microscope. Fashioning a makeshift ladder from some hardback books, Basil climbed up to view the paper through the eyepiece.

"Ah-ha!" he cried, "Just as I had expected.

"Your Majesty, it would appear that this note was written underground. Observe the slightly elongated hand: it was written under poor light. Also, there are infinitesimal specks of clay dotted across the paper, clay of a type found only deep beneath the ground.

"Moreover, I have deduced that this note was written in a mine; a diamond mine, to be precise. If you will look through the eyepiece, you will see the minutest speck of diamond dust."

"By Jove, that's brilliant!" cried Merlin.

"Yes, but can you tell us _which_ diamond mine, genius?" said Darkwing.

"I can tell you," said Basil stiffly, "that this dust came from a diamond of exceptional clarity. In fact, I would even go so far as to say that it was naturally transparent."

"A mine that produces naturally transparent diamonds? That's gotta narrow it down!" said Kim.

"There's only one I know of," said Mickey, "I have one of their stones set in my crown. It's the Seven Dwarf's Mine."

* * *

Hiding the _Excalibur _on the banks of a stream, the League approached the Seven Dwarf's Mine. They passed through dense woodland, alive and green despite the summer heat, until they at last came to a ridge tha overlooked the mine entrance.

From the tree line they could clearly see the little square of darkness in the bare hillside, supported by stout timber props. A single track of steel rails ran out of the mine and into the hollow, which was dotted with heaps of loose earth and stone. Skulking near the mine entrance, crouched on all fours like shadowy guard dogs, were three Heartless.

"This isn't right," said Mickey, drawing back from the ridge, "The Dwarfs would never use Heartless. Somethin' must have happened to them."

"So, do we go in?" Hercules asked.

"No," Mickey replied after a moment's thought, "We're here to rescue Scrooge's nephews. If we go chargin' in there, we might put them in danger. Someone's gonna have to sneak in there and find out what's going on."

"Say no more, Your Majesty. I, Darkwing Duck, shall undertake this dire, difficult and dangerous duty!"

"Then I'm coming with you," said Kim, intending to make sure that at least one competent spy went into the mine. Darkwing opened his mouth to protest but Mickey spoke first:

"Good thinkin', Kim! Four eyes will better than two."

"Your Majesty," said Basil, hopping down from Hercules's shoulder, "I would also like to volunteer. In the event of their capture, or the alarm being raised, I might easily escape detection and return to bring you news."

Both Kim and Darkwing scowled but, seeing the logic in Basil's plan, did not voice any objections. With Basil hiding in an empty pouch at Kim's belt, they left the rest of the League and began to make their way along the ridge to the point where it descended into the hollow.

They had little difficulty in distracting the Heartless guarding the entrance. Selecting a suitable stone from one of the spoil heaps, Kim sent it clattering into a heap on the far side of the hollow. While the Heartless raced to investigate, Kim and Darkwing slipped into the darkness of the mine.

Inside was a long tunnel lined with props, lit only by the occasional lamp hanging from the ceiling. The floor of the tunnel sloped down for several hundred metres until it terminated in a grand cavern. It stretched off into the distance, where it turned a corner. You could have fitted a row of houses inside, Kim reflected, with room to spare. Ladders led up to galleries cut high on either side. A cart track ran down the centre of the cavern, carrying the spoil heaps up to the surface.

The walls were thick with diamonds of different size, glittering in the lamplight. Kim fancied that she could reach out and brush them from the rock with her bare hands. It would have been a beautiful sight, had it not been for the workers. They were children, boys and girls, not one of them over twelve years old. They were chained to iron pegs set in the floor or wall, each one weighed down with shackles around their ankles. There was just enough slack to carry what they dug to the bucket behind them, and no more. Their clothes were filthy, torn to shreds by the harsh labour. The picks and shovels they hefted were often larger than themselves. Behind them, Heartless patrolled in ceaseless rounds. Kim could see the children shiver whenever one passed by.

Kim and Darkwing stepped hastily back into the covering darkness of the tunnel.

"Is that them?" Darkwing hissed, pointing to three small, white feathered ducks chained on a gallery at the far end of the cavern, just before it turned the corner. Their clothes, although dirty, were undamaged. One wore red, one blue and one green.

"I think so," said Kim.

"I say we go back to the surface," she continued, "We've gotta tell the King. He'll want do something about this."

"I can't just leave!" Darkwing hissed, "What would people say if they found out that Darkwing Duck had left innocent children in such a place?"

"We're coming back…" Kim began but the sound of a whip cracking caught her attention and she fell silent. Creeping back to the tunnel exit, she and Darkwing watched as a huge man appeared round the corner. He was marching along the cavern, lashing at the children on either side with a long whip. He had a small sack slung over his shoulder.

"Harder, slugs, harder I say! If y' don't work, y' don't eat!" he roared. He was a fat, jowly creature in a huge red coat and flat grey hat. At his belt was a thick iron ring, from which hung many keys. The children cowered at his approach and yelped when his whip cracked across their shoulders. Kim felt her fists clenching at her side. She threw out her arm just in time to prevent Darkwing rushing into the cavern. Using only gestures, Kim and Darkwing agreed to follow the man, who had just left the cavern via a side tunnel.

Evading the Heartless that patrolled the cavern was no easy matter but, to Kim's surprise, Darkwing proved to be both quick and quiet in his movements. They crossed the cavern in fits and starts, sheltering behind empty carts, spare timbers and spoil heaps, until they drew close enough to dash into the side tunnel and after the man with the whip.

This tunnel was very short and ended at a stout wooden door, reinforced with steel bars and fitted with a large lock. Luckily for Kim and Darkwing, the man had neglected to shut it behind him. By squeezing themselves up against the sidewall, they were able to observe everything that went on in the room beyond while still being hidden behind the doorframe.

The room before them was a combination of lounge, kitchen and bedroom all rolled into one. In one corner was a cast iron stove, in the other a wide bed, bowed in the middle. A table and chair were in the middle. In the far wall was a great steel door, covered in many bars and locks. Leaning against it, arms casually folded, was a man in an opera suit. The low brim of his top hat and the high collar combined to completely obscure his face.

"My master is most displeased, Barker" he said. He had the smooth voice of one determined to be charming.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the first man grunted. Hanging his whip on a nail by the door, he threw the sack he carried onto the bed. Something inside gave a squeak as it landed.

"Oh but I think you do," the man in the opera suit said as he approached the table, "I really think you do."

"Look, it's just a little operation on the side, alright?" Barker said hurriedly, not looking directly at his companion.

"My dear Barker, I am confused," the man in the opera suit replied in tones of mild surprise, "Why do you feel the _need_ to have these 'little operations'? Has my master not been generous enough; providing you with a diamond mine?"

"So he could take the biggest and the best diamonds for himself!" Barker interjected angrily.

"While allowing you to keep the rest, and to run the mine as you see fit" his companion finished smoothly.

"So what does it matter to him if I ransom some little squirts back to their fat headed uncle?" Barker said.

The man in the opera suit leapt upon Barker before he even had a chance to raise his arms. He fastened one hand around Barker's fleshy throat, drawing their faces close.

"It matters, you simpleton, because the ransom note you sent could be traced back to you," he snarled, "And, if it is traced back to you, it could be traced back to my master and he is _very _keen that that does not happen. The King and his lackeys are on the move. If they should discover…"

"Alright, alright!" Barker croaked, "I get it, I get it: just lemme go!"

The man in the opera suit released his grip and stood back.

"Now," he said, his suave manner returning as quickly as it had dropped, "do you have the item I requested?"

"Yes… yes," Barker gasped, massaging his throat which was already starting to bruise "Over there… on the bed."

The man in the opera suit crossed the room and poked the sack. It gave a sharp cry and wriggled slightly.

"Why do you need one of them anyway?" Barker asked.

"Waternoose said it would be necessary: the smaller the better."

"Well, it was the smallest one I could find."

"It will do," the man in the opera suit said with a shrug. He crossed back to the table.

"Now for the other matter; my master requires more diamonds."

"I thought he might," said Barker sourly. Reaching into his coat pocket, he drew out a handful of the largest diamonds Kim had ever seen. They ranged from the size of golf balls to larger than a tennis ball. Barker placed them on the table and stood back.

The man in the opera suit bent over them and then did something so strange that it was all Kim could do to suppress a cry of shock. A grey rat, dressed in a miniature copy of the same opera suit, fell out of the gap between the hat and the collar. It crossed the table, produced a jeweller's eyeglass from his pocket and began to examine the diamonds in detail. The thing Kim had assumed to be a man stood frozen beside the table.

Basil, who was leaning out of Kim's pouch and round the doorpost, let loose a gasp of surprise:

"Ratigan?!"

The rat spun round.

"Basil?!" he shrieked.

* * *

_Author's note: Scrooge McDuck is the star of 'DuckTales', plus many other Disney shows and comics. Merlin is from 'The Sword in the Stone'. Leon, Cid and Aerith are Final Fantasy characters. __Barker is the Coachman who took Pinocchio to Pleasure Island (I mistakenly thought Barker was his name when I wrote this chapter. Thank you to 'Captain A' for correcting me: he is officialy named The Coachman, and nothing else). Ratigan is Basil's nemesis in 'The Great Mouse Detective'._


	7. The World's Greatest Criminal Mind

Chapter 7: The World's Greatest Criminal Mind

"Run!" cried Kim. Grabbing Darkwing's arm, they raced back up the tunnel. Behind her she could hear Barker and Ratigan shouting as they sprang through the door in pursuit.

Basil, who had been riding in a pouch at Kim's belt, now leapt down and ran ahead, a dark shape scuttling through the gloom. A second later and Kim had lost sight of him.

Reaching the cavern at the far end of the tunnel, Kim risked a glance back. Barker was close behind them; whip in hand, his face purple with rage. The thing like a man in an opera suit followed at his shoulder. There was no sign of the tiny Ratigan.

The children in the cavern cried out at their sudden appearance. Some called to Kim and Darkwing for help; others simply sat down in the dirt and wailed. The Heartless guarding the children turned to watch Kim with their bright yellow eyes, but they did not move.

"Darkwing, you…" Kim began, and then paused. Darkwing was nowhere to be seen.

Barker and his companion in the opera suit had reached the head of the tunnel. Kim turned to face them, fists raised.

"Deal with her! The mouse is mine!" the man in the opera suit said. It sounded like Ratigan.

"Not so fast!" a voice cried, echoing among the cavern's many galleries. A cloud of smoke rose up around them. Barker and the man in the opera suit turned this way and that, searching for the hidden speaker.

"I am the terror that flaps in the night," the voice continued, "I am the woodworm that gnaws at your furniture. I am, _Darkwing Duck_!"

From high on an upper gallery, Darkwing descended. He swung down on a rope attached to his gas gun, cape flaring out behind him, eyes flashing with righteous anger. He passed over Barker's head, struck the lintel above the tunnel entrance and rolled end over end into the darkness beyond.

"Well, that was helpful," Kim muttered.

"Enough of this," the man with Ratigan's voice snapped, "Barker, get her!"

Barker rushed at Kim through the cloud of smoke, his whip raised high. Kim closed with him. Making a quick sidestep, she stuck her foot out. Barker, carried forward by his own momentum, tripped and crashed to the ground. The children lining the galleries gave a nervous cheer.

Kim did not give the man in the opera suit more than a moment to react. Springing forward, she planted a flying kick square in the centre of his broad chest. Pain shot through her foot. A dull, metallic note rang through the cavern. It felt like kicking a wall.

Kim dropped to the floor and back flipped out of the way, just in time to avoid a blow from the man in the opera suit. Glancing around, her eyes fell on a pickaxe lying nearby. Seizing it in both hands, she charged towards the man in the opera suit, aiming to drive the point straight into his stomach. The man's hand shot out and grabbed the haft of the pickaxe, stopping it dead in mid-swing. Kim was flung forwards by the sudden stop and smacked into the man's unyielding shoulder.

She staggered back. Barker had almost regained his feet. There was no sign of Darkwing or Basil. The Heartless around the edge of the cavern still had not moved but their terrible yellow eyes followed her wherever she went.

The man in the opera suit discarded the pickaxe with an almost contemptuous flick of his wrist. He closed with her, punching with great speed and strength. Kim avoided the first two blows and attempted to block the third. It was like being struck by a sledgehammer, all but fracturing her arm.

Dodging his next punch, she circled to her right and aimed a karate chop at the base of her assailant's neck. This did no more than dislodge his top hat but it at last revealed why spoke with Ratigan's voice. Under the hat, where the head should have been, was a clear structure shaped like a bell. Within, she could see Ratigan seated on a chair, surrounded by numerous levers and other controls.

Kim fell back, eyes desperately searching the cavern for something that could harm this deadly machine. She spotted a cart filled with loose rock on a gallery behind her. She turned and ran as fast as her battered limbs allowed towards the ladder. Ratigan pursued her. She reached the ladder with a running jump, landing almost halfway up it. Ratigan was right behind her. He grabbed her ankle. It was literally an iron grip, like a vice biting into her skin. For a second Kim clung to the ladder, straining to free herself. Then Ratigan jerked his arm and she was hurled back to the ground.

"Leave her alone!"

Kim looked up. Mickey was standing at the main entrance, his keyblade levelled at Ratigan. Behind him came Tarzan and Basil, riding on Hercules' shoulder.

"The King!" gasped Ratigan, his voice transmitted through a speaker near the base of his cockpit.

"Barker, you imbecile, stop them!" he cried, turning from Kim and heading back towards the side tunnel that led to Barker's room.

Barker cracked his whip above his head. Instantly, every Heartless in the cavern hurled themselves at the League. In the dark corners of the galleries the shadows began to bubble and writhe, spawning even more Heartless. They streamed down the walls and rushed across the floor like a black tide.

Mickey charged towards Barker, his Keyblade cutting through the Heartless in golden arcs.

"I've got your back," said Kim. Side by side they fought: Kim's fists and Mickey's keyblade driving a path through the Heartless and toward Barker.

Hercules and Tarzan had placed themselves between Ratigan and the side tunnel. He swung for Hercules. He caught Ratigan's fist in one hand. With his free hand, Hercules struck Rattigan in the chest, sending him tumbling across the floor. Tarzan leapt on Ratigan before he had a chance to recover, grabbling with him as he would a gorilla or a bear. Too late did Tarzan realise that this opponent had no windpipe to crush. Ratigan tore the ape-man's grasp apart and threw him aside.

Hercules drew his sword and lunged at Ratigan's chest but, although it pierced the delicate linen shirt, the point glanced off the metal surface beneath.

In the centre of the cavern Kim and Mickey were making slow progress towards Barker. The King slew many Heartless with each stroke, and Kim sent her fair share spinning aside with well-aimed blows, but they were two swimmers struggling against an ever-rising tide.

Ratigan and Hercules were exchanging blows like two prize fighters, each punch harder than the last. Now Tarzan was on his feet again. Snatching up an empty bucket lying beside the cart track, he stood close behind Ratigan and jammed it over his head. It took Ratigan only a few seconds to remove it, but it was enough.

Hercules lifted a great piece of timber from a pile by the side-tunnel, and hurled it at Ratigan. There was a clang like a deep bell being struck and Ratigan was plucked off his feet. He soared through the air to land flat on his back, where he was pinned fast beneath the timber.

Mickey and Kim crashed through the last of the Heartless, bringing them face to face with Barker. He fell back, white faced, trying to keep them at bay with vicious strokes of his whip. Mickey thrust his keyblade forward, allowing the lash to wrap around the shaft, and then wrenched it from Barker's grasp with a sudden jerk. Startled and thrown off balance, Barker fell down on his wide backside.

"You're not used to someone standing up to you, are you?" Kim sneered as she knocked Barker cold with a chop to the neck.

His transport machine pinned beneath the timber, Ratigan opened a hatch in his 'cockpit' and sprang out. Basil had dived from Hercules' shoulder towards him. There was a brief struggle as the two rodents rolled together across the floor, a storm of blows flying between them, but Rattigan was too strong. Thrusting Basil aside, he vanished down the side-tunnel.

"After him!" Basil cried, scrambling back onto Hercules's shoulder.

"No!" Mickey called, "Protect the children!"

Hercules and Tarzan did not hesitate to fall on the Heartless. Kim and Mickey moved to join them. Wherever they went, the shadows fell back. It was the work of minutes to clear the cavern of them, leaderless as they were.

When Mickey finally decided to give chase, they found that Ratigan had vanished, along with the pile of diamonds and the sack that Barker had left in his room. They did, however, find Darkwing, still unconscious, lying on the floor of the tunnel.

Hercules carried him back to the cavern, while the others took the ring of keys from Barker's belt and set about freeing the children. It took a long time to search the sprawling warren of tunnels, galleries and dead ends. In the deepest and darkest pit, they discovered seven little bedraggled figures, six of whom wore impressive, if grubby beards. When they had been brought blinking back into the light of the main cavern their leader, Doc, explained that they were the Seven Dwarfs: the rightful owners of the mine.

"It all happened so suddenly!" he said, while the other dwarfs sat around him and nodded in agreement,

"We were hard at work, same as usual, when that fat oaf walked in," he pointed to where Barker lay unconscious "I asked him what he wanted and he said: 'Your mine!' Well, of course, I told him you can't have it and a good day to you! Then _he _appeared…"

The dwarfs all shivered.

"We never saw his face," said Doc softly, "He wore a sort of helmet but you could hear his voice. He said that he was taking our mine and that we'd better do as he said.

"Well, we weren't going to stand for that, were we?" he said as the others dwarfs shook their heads, "I was just about to order them both off our property when he set those… shadow thingson us. They just appeared; jumped up out of the ground like gofers!

"We never saw _him _again but he left the fat one in charge. He put us in chains, working day and night. It must have been months since we last saw the sun. But it didn't matter how long or how hard we dug: he always wanted more diamonds. It wasn't long before he started bringing in children.

"That was too much for us. We refused flat to do any more digging until he had returned those children to their homes."

"Too right we did," the other dwarfs chorused.

"But he took away our tools and threw us in that hole, where we've been ever since!"

Having freed everyone in the mine, the League was faced with the problem of what to do with the children. They had found Scrooge's nephews, alive and well, but they did not have room aboard the _Excalibur _to take all the others with them. In the end, Mickey arranged for the dwarfs would look after the children until the League could arrange for a ship to collect them and take them to Radiant Garden, where Leon and his friends could begin the long process of returning them to their homes. Barker was thrown into the pit where he had imprisoned the dwarfs, to be kept there until he agreed to apply himself to some useful work. _._

* * *

Scrooge was waiting for them at the landing pad when the _Excalibur_ touched down in Radiant Garden. As soon as the cockpit was open, his nephews had rushed into his tearful embrace. After a few confused moments, in which the three boys all tried to explain what had happened at the same time, Scrooge hushed them into silence.

"I think yae'll have tae leave the explainin' tae the grown-ups, lads," he said, smiling genially.

Together with Scrooge and his nephews, the League retired to Merlin's house, where Kim and Darkwing recounted the conversation they had overheard between Barker and Rattigan.

"Interesting," Merlin said thoughtfully when they had finished, "I can't help but wonder who is behind all of this."

"Xehanort?" suggested Leon. Mickey shook his head.

"No, and it's not Maleficent either: Master Yen Sid told me that they have not returned."

This seemed to settle the matter as far Leon and Merlin were concerned.

"There are other powers for evil in this world," said Merlin darkly, "It may be that this is a new threat; something we have not encountered before."

"Whoever it is, they must be a fiend indeed to have recruited Ratigan to their cause," said Basil, "He's the most cunning criminal ever spawned."

"You know him, then?" said Hercules.

"Know him? My dear man, he is my nemesis!" said Basil, "My only equal in mental ability and the greatest ne'er-do-well imaginable."

"I can hear the wedding bells already," said Kim.

"What about this 'Waternoose' that Ratigan mentioned? Do we know who he is?" Hercules asked, oblivious to the loathsome looks Kim and Basil were exchanging across the table.

"Ach, that's nae secret!" exclaimed Scrooge, "That'd be Henry J. Waternoose. Leastways, he's the only Waternoose I've ever heard of.

"He's CEO of that there 'Monsters Incorporated'. It's a tidy interest. Small fry, y' understand, but tidy."

"Monster Incorporated? That's in Monstropolis, right?" said Mickey.

"Looks like that's your next stop, Your Majesty," said Leon.

"Wait," said Darkwing, "what about the Isla de Engano? I thought we were going there next?"

"A wild goose chase, Your Majesty," said Basil contemptuously, "This Waternoose fellow is clearly in cahoots with these scoundrels. He should be our focus."

"Something doesn't feel right about this pirate meeting," said Kim, "I can't believe it, but I agree with the duck. We need to check it out."

There was silence as Mickey sat thinking, his chin rested on his hand.

"We've gotta split up," he said, at length "They're _both _important and we can't afford to ignore either of them. I'll talk to Cid about borrowing a gummi-ship that'll take me, Tarzan and Hercules to Isla de Engano. Meanwhile Kim, Basil and Darkwing, you take the _Excalibur _to Monstropolis to have a look at this Waternoose fella. I'll ask Cid to stand in for me as your pilot.

"We'll rendezvous at Traverse Town the day after tomorrow to share what we've found, okay?"

Nobody disagreed, although Kim, Darkwing and Basil clearly did not relish working as a trio.

"Excellent! Now, yae'll be needin' some disguises if yae're hopin' tae pass unnoticed," Scrooge said, rubbing his hands together, "and it just so happens that I can sell yae some costumes at a _vaery _reasonable discount."


	8. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me

Chapter 8: Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate's life for me

The Isla de Engano was a treeless strip of sand and rock, barely worth the name island. It was a traditional spot for pirate parleys_, _being far from any port and too barren to conceal an ambush. Today, the sea around her shore teemed with vessels. Tall and stately galleons wallowed beside nimble little sloops with triangular sails. Vast zeppelins, their anchor lines tethered to rowing boats, floated above _dhows _and junks from distance seas. There were also many gummi ships, splashes of garish colour amongst the wood and canvas.

Mickey brought the little hire-ship down on the very edge of the assembly. Their ship resembled a giant flying pea, fitted with two stubby wings. It was, however, perfectly buoyant and Mickey, Hercules and Tarzan were soon striking out for the island in an inflatable dinghy.

"Remember fellas," said Mickey, "don't speak unless you're spoken to, and don't do anythin' that might attract attention."

They had once again adopted the mismatched disguises they had used in Tortuga, taking care to select the hats with the broadest brims.

The shore of the Isla de Engano was already thick with rowing boats and dinghies. Waiting for them at the top of the beach were two tall humanoid robots in brass casings.

"Halt!" one commanded, "Pre – sent – token – of – ident – ifi – cation."

Mickey held out the coin Foulfellow had given Kim and Darkwing in Tortuga. The robot snatched it out of his hand and fed it into a slot beneath the grill that served as its face. There was a whirring sound and then it spat the coin back into its hand.

"Token – vali – dated. Proceed," it said, handing the coin back to Mickey. The League members passed the robots without a word, taking care to pull their hats low over their faces.

A round wooden platform had been set up at the widest part of the island. On top of it was a round table, surrounded by chairs and shaded from the sweltering tropical sun by a sail. More of the brass robots surrounded the foot of the platform, preventing the great crowd of pirates from getting too close. They were a dirty, stinking mass of cutthroats, buccaneers and corsairs. Every manner of ne'er-do-well seemed to be present. The smell of rum was heavy on them and they were clearly growing impatient. Mickey, Tarzan and Hercules took their place at the rear of the crowd and did their best not to attract anyone's attention.

The line of guard robots parted and 'Honest' John Foulfellow climbed onto the platform. He looked extremely nervous, fiddling constantly with the buttons on his coat. Mickey glanced round. Every single person in the crowd was armed.

"Gentlemen!" Foufellow shouted, hopping onto a stool, "Gentlemen, your attention please!"

The crowd rumbled. A few empty bottles were thrown at Foulfellow but it was more for sport than anything else.

"Gentlemen," he repeated, ducking the bottles, "the votes have been counted!"

The pirates roared happily.

"About time" they cried.

Foulfellow produced a scroll from his sleeve and unrolled it. He began to read aloud, very slowly, pausing at the longer words:

"In accordance with the Code of Morgan and Bartholomew, the following captains have been elected to speak for the assembled crews by fair and impartial ballot."

The pirates laughed heartily at this but no more bottles were thrown.

"The first representative," Foulfellow continued, "is James Hook of the _Jolly Roger_."

There was a murmur of discontent on the far side of the platform as someone forced their way through the crowd. A few moments later a tall pirate in a red greatcoat and cavalier hat had climbed onto the platform. He gave the crowd a lazy wave with his prosthetic hook hand, then took his seat at the table.

"Next," said Foulfellow, "Don Karnage of the _Iron Vulture." _

Karnage turned out to be a wolf with orange fur, wearing a blue double-breasted jacket. He ignored the crowd and simply took his seat.

"Davv Jones of the _Flying Dutchman._"

This captain was carried onto the platform in what looked like a cross between a sedan chair and a bath tub. Jones, who resembled an old sailor crossed with a squid, did not leave his bath even after it had been set down.

"'Long' John Silver, of the _Hispaniola._"

A big, rotund man with tanned skin, Silver would have looked fairly unremarkable had it not been for his cybernetic arm and leg. His right eye was also cybernetic, flashing gold in the sunlight.

"And finally," said Foulfellow, "Balthier of the _Strahl_."

In such a remarkable gathering, Balthier was remarkable by his normality. He was young, with a delicately handsome face, and dressed expensively, in a fancy gold waistcoat and silk shirt. He looked quite bored as he took his seat.

"Now, are you going to tell us what you mean by dragging us all out to this God forsaken spit of sand?" Hook asked Foufellow, pointing his hook at him.

"Aye, what's this proposal ye have for us, Mister Foulfellow?" asked Silver. There was a rumble of agreement from the assembled pirates.

"I was just getting to that, gentlemen, have no fear," said Foulfellow hurriedly, rolling up the scroll and replacing it in his sleeve. He took a stance like a ham actor launching into a soliloquy and announced:

"May I introduce the author of this most auspicious, this most audacious, this most…"

"Get on with it!" snarled Don Karnage. A bottle whizzed past Foufellow's ear.

"The Emperor Zurg!" said Foulfellow, diving from the stool and vanishing into the crowd.

There was a great commotion as two files of brass robots approached the platform, pushing the pirates aside to make room. Between them moved a towering figure, resplendent in a purple robe. A dark cape flared out behind him. His head was hidden beneath a purple helmet, resembling a snarling, horned skull. He glided along the sand, before levitating onto the platform.

"I am the Emperor Zurg," he announced. A wall of silence greeted him.

"And?" said Balthier, placing his feet on the table, "Are we supposed to be impressed?"

"We're all pirates here, lad," said Silver, "We don't care if ye're 'lord' dis or 'lady' dat, so say yer piece an' have done with it."

Zurg grunted and sat down with a bad grace.

"Very well," he said, "I bring an offer from my master…"

"Wait a minute," said Jones, holding up his lobster-claw hand, "I thought that fox fellow said that _you _were the author of this enterprise?"

"I'm not talking to another go-between," said Karnage, rising from the table, "If your 'master' wishes to treat with Don Karnage, he can come see me himself!"

"My master would not deign to speak with the likes of you!" sneered Zurg, also rising. There was an angry mutter from the assembled pirates. Mickey noticed many of them reaching for their weapons.

"Sit down, Karnage," said Balthier, stifling a yawn, "and just listen to what the man has to say."

Karnage bared his teeth but returned to his seat.

"Your proposal?" said Silver.

"My master would offer you a chance to earn riches beyond your wildest dreams," said Zurg loudly, so that his voice carried to the very back of the crowd.

"Be careful, Zurg; you're talking to pirates," said Balthier, "Our dreams are wilder than most."

"Riches beyond your wildest dreams," Zurg repeated, "if you will support him in his expedition."

"Fine words," said Hook, "but they mean nothing. What sort of riches? Is it bullion, doubloons, diamonds; what?"

"In return for your help, my master will give you freedom to raid and plunder any world you choose," said Zurg.

The pirates howled with laughter. They propped each other up, clutching their sides.

"Why, that's a mighty generous offer," Silver said, wiping tears from his one good eye, "but I think we'll have t' decline.

"Ye see," he continued, speaking slowly as if to a very young child, "we're pirates. Y'know, gentlemen of fortune an' all that? We _already_ raid where we like. That's what bein' a pirate is all about."

"Really?" asked Zurg, "You think you are free? What about the heroes who meddle in your affairs; who thwart your schemes at every turn?"

There was some muttered agreement from the crowd of pirates at this. Mickey, Tarzan and Hercules suddenly became very interested in the ground at their feet. Zurg continued:

"My master has a plan to rid the worlds of do-gooder heroes, once and for all. Then you would truly be free: free to pirate when and where you please. My master will give you new weapons and ships; gummi-ships to cross the void and reach news worlds. Imagine it: a whole universe for the plundering."

The crowd began to buzz with conversation, some interested in Zurg's proposal, others more sceptical.

"Suppose we would be interested in such a plan," said Hook coolly, "What would your master want from us in return?"

"Your allegiance," said Zurg, "For his plan to succeed, he requires a fleet, and fighting men to crew it."

"Your master is a simpleton," said Davy Jones, "if he thinks that force of arms will be enough to overcome these meddlesome heroes."

"Aye!" said Don Karnge, "If it was, we would have done it long ago."

"Fools!" thundered Zurg, "My master's vision is greater than you can possibly imagine! You are to be but one piece in his grand plan."

"So we're t' take it on faith, then, that your master, who we've neither seen nor heard, has got this big ol' plan that's goin' t' set us up for a life o' leisure?" said Silver sceptically, "Forgive me if I'm reluctant to sign up."

"Would you rather be his enemy?" said Zurg, "What would become of you when my master's vision is realised? He does not forgive easily."

Silver considered Zurg for a long moment, then sat back in his chair.

"It seems to me that what you are proposing borders on actual employment," said Balthier, taking his feet off the table and fixing Zurg with a steady gaze.

"I always understood that a pirate is free to go wherever he pleases," he continued, "Heroes? They're an occupational hazard. But we still fly free. I recognise no master, and nor will any true pirate here. I say nay."

For a moment, Zurg and Balthier held each other's gaze. Every eye in the crowd was fixed on them, waiting to see what would happen.

It was Zurg who looked away first.

"And the rest of you; what do you say? Will you serve my master?" he said, addressing the other men at the table. One by one, they raised their hands, saying:

"Aye."

The assembled pirates cheered, waving their cutlasses and firing pistols in the air. Several fights broke out where people waved their cutlasses a little too enthusiastically but in the main they seemed delighted.

"Come on, fellas," Mickey whispered to Tarzan and Hercules, "Time we were leavin'."

It was a simple matter to return to the beach, refloat the dinghy and row back to their gummi-ship while the pirates' attention was focused on the platform.

As they boarded their ship in a great hurry, none of them noticed the little white disc stuck like a limpet to the underside of the hull, or the smiling face of 'Honest' John Foulfellow watching them from the deck of a nearby ship.

* * *

_Author's note: _The members of the pirates' council were as follows:

_- _Emperor Zurg ('Toy Story 2' and the TV show 'Buzz Lightyear of Star Command')

- Captain Hook (Peter Pan)

- Don Karnage (the TV show, Talespin)

- Davy Jones (Pirates of the Caribbean series)

- 'Long' John Silver (Treasure Planet)

- Balthier (Final Fantasy XII)


	9. One Jump Ahead

Chapter 9: One Jump Ahead

"Can't you stopped fidgeting? You're attracting attention!" Basil hissed.

"I'm sorry, okay, but this is _really _uncomfortable," Kim replied, her voice muffled by the mask.

Kim doubted that she was attracting attention anyway. In any other town the green, rubber costume she had purchased from Scrooge McDuck would have stood out in an instant. Not in Monstropolis. It was a charming, spacious city, populated entirely by monsters. Under her lizard-like mask, Kim blended easily into the crowd of bug eyed, sharp toothed commuters making their way to work. She did have to be careful not to walk into things though; the eye-slit in the mask was very small.

Kim felt stifled inside the heavy rubber suit but it was a necessary disguise. Before departing, King Mickey had warned her that monsters were terrified of humans; they believed that they were somehow toxic. Her walking openly down the street would have started a riot.

Kim's mood had not been improved when it had been decided that Darkwing would not need a costume. He walked alongside her in relative comfort, with Basil riding in his breast pocket.

Cid had dropped them off in a quiet corner of the suburbs, before quickly returning to interspace. The plan was to rendezvous back at the same location in twelve hours but, should the worst happen, Kim would be able to reach Cid using her communicator.

The Monsters Inc. energy plant was a huge complex of low lying buildings and refineries, grouped like foothills around a mountainous central hall. It was half a mile high and three times as long. The company logo, a blue 'M' with an eye set in the middle, dominated its southern face.

"Okay, let's get things straight," said Kim softly as they crossed the car park, "We get in; we have a look around; we get the scoop on this Waternoose; we get out and head for the rendezvous point. And we do it all without being seen. Got it?"

"I'm afraid I missed the part where the King put you in charge," said Basil.

"Listen you little squirt, I'm Kim Possible. I do this stuff for a living, and I don't need…"

"F.O.W.L!" gasped Darkwing. He seized Kim by the shoulder and dragged her behind the nearest car.

"What are you talking about?" Kim demanded, shaking herself free, "I don't smell anything…"

"No! F.O.W.L! The Fiendish Organisation for World Larceny!" Darkwing hissed.

"Look!" he said. Through the glass doors, Kim could see the round entrance lobby to Monsters Inc. Groups of monsters were passing through, heading down one of several corridors that branched off from the rear of the lobby. One corridor had been roped off. It was being guarded by a group of ducks in yellow jumpsuits and white, egg-shaped helmets. Standing over them, watching the passing monsters suspiciously, was a rooster wearing a white tuxedo.

"Hey," said Kim, "that's the guy who tried to jump me in Middleton!"

"Steelbeak," growled Darkwing, "Chief agent of F.O.W.L."

"But who _are _they?" asked Basil.

"Who are they?" spluttered Darkwing, "Why, they're only the most dangerous crime syndicate in St. Canard! They have only one purpose: world domination."

"I'm starting to see a pattern emerging," said Kim wryly.

"Waternoose is clearly up to his neck in villainy," said Darkwing, "We should report this to the King at once."

"Hang about," said Basil, "We don't know that! How do we know that Waternoose is in cahoots with this F.O.W.L. group? He could be their prisoner. And suppose he _is_ in league with them; shouldn't we try to find out what it is they're up to?"

"I suppose," said Darkwing warily, glancing again at the ducks in the entrance lobby.

"We'll just have to be extra careful," said Kim, conscious that passersby were staring at them, crouched as they were behind a parked car.

Keeping Darkwing on her right, so as to hide him from Steelbeak and his henchmen, Kim strolled confidently through the front doors. She had no idea where she was going but she did not pause. Even a moment's hesitation might have given her away. She selected a corridor at random and joined the steady stream of monsters heading down it.

As soon as they were satisfied that they were not being followed, Kim and Darkwing turned sharply down a side corridor. Here they halted and tried to get their bearings. There were no maps on the walls but there were signs pointing to different departments. They decided to follow these, hoping to find one that would direct them to Waternoose's office.

They were soon hopelessly lost. Most of the signs seemed to point to very mundane departments, of the kind you would find in any normal office building, although occasionally they did come across something unusual: 'Advanced Terrifying' or 'Scream Co-ordination'. They saw no sign of Waternoose or F.O.W.L.

At length they passed an employee bathroom and Kim decided to take advantage of the facilities. While she disappeared into a cubicle, Darkwing stood outside as a lookout. Kim had just emerged from the cubicle, her mask hanging down her back like a hood, when the bathroom door burst open.

"We can't just go marching onto the Scare Floor: it's been sealed off!"

"And I'm telling you we can't keep that _thing_ with us any – Gah!"

The two monsters froze, staring at Kim. One was very big and covered in blue fur. The other was short and green, round as a ball, with a single, giant eye in the middle of its face.

"What're you doing in here?!" Kim and the eyeball demanded together.

"What _we _doing here?" said the eyeball, "What are _you _doing here? You're human!"

"And what are _you_ doing… sneaking around in a bathroom?" Kim replied. It had sounded much more impressive in her head.

A little pink bundle in the blue monster's arms uncurled itself. A pair of big, round eyes opened, coming to rest on Darkwing.

"Ducky!" the little girl squeaked delightedly, pointing at him.

"Ah-ha! What about her, huh? Isn't _she_ human?" said Kim triumphantly, pointing at the girl in the monster's arms.

The eyeball scowled.

"I think it might be best if we all forgot this ever happened," he said hurriedly, backing towards the door.

"Come on, Sully," he muttered, taking the blue monster by the arm, "We're in enough trouble as it is. Waternoose would killus if he found out that we let a teenager in too…"

"Wait!" said Kim, "You know Mister Waternoose?"

"Course. He's our boss," said the eyeball dismissively.

"Why?" said Sully, ignoring his companion's promptings to leave.

"We're looking for him," said Kim.

"We think he might be a vill – Ow!" said Darkwing, as Basil pinched his ear.

"Do you know where we can find him?" Kim asked quickly to try and cover Darkwing's blunder.

"He's probably in the Hall of Doors," said Sully thoughtfully, "He ordered the whole place shut down yesterday. No one's been allowed in or out, except those guys in the yellow jumpsuits."

"Sully, would you get a grip?" the eyeball hissed, "Do you realise what you're doing? _You are talking to a human_. I'm surprised we haven't dropped dead already! Come on, let's go before we catch something."

"But Mike, I don't think they're all that dangerous," said Sully, "Think about it. Boo was in your apartment all night and we're both fine."

"You mean apart from my oncoming _heart attack? _Do you know how much trouble we'll be in if we're caught talking to one of them?!"

"Gentlemen, please," said Basil smoothly, hopping onto Kim's shoulder to address the monsters, "We are in haste. If you could provide us with directions to your employer we will be more than happy to let you go on your way."

"Oh no," said Mike, "We're not letting a human into the Hall of Doors."

"Ah, what harm can it do?" said Sully, "She's wearing a costume. No one would know what she is."

"No, no, _no!" _said Mike, stamping his foot, "All I want to do is to find that door, put Boo back through it and pretend this whole thing never happened, okay?"

"Who's Boo?" said Kim.

"Boo!" shouted the little girl in Sully's arms.

"And what's she doing with you?" asked Darkwing suspiciously.

"It's like this," said Sully, "We're Scarers. We go into kid's bedrooms at night, through their closet door, and scare them."

"You do _what_?" said Kim. It was a horrible idea but she was almost as scared as she was angry. She remembered being terrified of the monster in her closet when she was little. Her parents had convinced her that it had just been a nightmare. The idea that her childhood terror might be real sent cold flushes running all the way down her back.

"We need their screams," said Sully, almost apologetically, "That's what Monsters Inc. does; we turn children's screams into energy, to power the city."

"But you let one of the children through?" said Basil.

"Yeah and if anyone finds out, we could lose our jobs, or worse," said Sully.

"Which is why we've got to put that thing back where it came from _right now_," said Mike crossly.

"We'll help you," said Kim quickly, "Get us into this Hall of Doors and we'll help you find the one that'll take Boo back to her world."

"I don't know…" said Mike.

"Come on, Mikey," said Sully plaintively, "What harm can it do?"

He grinned, displaying two formidable sets of fangs.

"Oh… alright then," said Mike, throwing up his hands, "But I know I'm gonna regret this."

With Kim once again hidden beneath her mask, she and Darkwing followed Mike and Sully out of the bathroom. Despite Sully's confidence that Kim would not attract attention Mike took no chances, making long diversions to avoid the busiest corridors.

They came to a plain door that led into a network of dank service corridors, lined with dripping pipes. They climbed many narrow staircases, until Mike brought them to a halt at a tiny doorway, almost too small for Sully to pass through. Mike opened the door a crack and peered in.

"All clear," he whispered.

Kim and Darkwing gasped as they stepped through. They were standing on a narrow walkway, about halfway up the inside of the vast hall they had seen on their approach to Monsters Inc. Doors, hanging on racks like suits of clothing, stretched from floor to ceiling on either side. There were doors painted in every colour and pattern. The walls looked like two giant kaleidoscopes. Between them, the hall was crisscrossed with electronic tramways, carrying doors to and from the racks, and then disappearing through tunnels in the wall below them.

"How many are there?" said Kim, her voice hushed in awe.

"Doors? Beats me," said Mike, "Millions, I guess. They saw there are doors to every world here."

"What's that?" said Darkwing, looking over the edge of the walkway. Kim followed his gaze. Some distance below she could see another, wider walkway, running at right angles to theirs, down the middle of the hall. A group of figures were walking slowly along it. Four of them looked human, while one was clearly a crab-like monster.

"Mister Waternoose!" Sully gasped. In a second, he had dragged Kim and Darkwing back from the edge.

"We've gotta get out of here," Mike whimpered, one foot already through the door.

"Wait," said Kim, "Basil, can you get down there and find out what going on?"

"If I must," said Basil grumpily.

Using the rope from his grappling hook, Darkwing slowly lowered Basil onto the walkway below. Taking cover behind the stacks of doors lying scattered along its length, he scurried along until he was within earshot of the other group.

Waternoose was a portly creature wearing a dark jacket and waistcoat. He walked on four thick crab-like legs. He was talking to a short, slender figure in a suit of armour. The armoured figure's face was entirely concealed behind the visor of his beaked helmet.

Behind them walked three others. Basil instantly recognised Ratigan's man-like transport, hidden beneath an opera suit and top hat. He was carrying a sack over one shoulder. On Ratigan's left was a silver-haired young man who matched the description Tarzan had given of the swordsman who had attacked Jack Sparrow in Tortuga. On Ratigan's right was a red haired girl whom Basil did not recognise. She wore a short pink dress and a white helmet, the visor set with two great diamonds, identical to the one worn by her silver haired companion.

"How long before my plant can resume operation?" Waternoose asked the armoured figure.

"When I have what I want," he replied, his voice distorted slightly by the visor.

"I shudder to think how much Munny I'm losing…" Waternoose muttered.

"Don't get your tailcoat in a twist. Think of the bigger picture," the armoured figure said, "When my plan's complete, I'll be able to send you all the kids you want. You can revolutionise the scaring industry; pull the scream straight out of the child's mouth. Short term loss for long term gain, huh?"

Waternoose did not reply but his expression was sour.

"Here will do," he said. The group halted, with Ratigan and the two helmeted youngsters standing at a respectful distance.

"A door to every world, right?" said the armoured figure, gazing at the racks on either wall.

"That's what I said, isn't it?" said Waternoose testily.

"Bear in mind, if this doesn't work, I will kill you," said the armoured figure.

Ratigan stepped forward. Still carrying the sack, he reached into his jacket and produced the voodoo compass he had stolen from Jack Sparrow. He held it out towards the armoured figure.

In a rare moment of impulsive action, Basil broke cover and rushed towards Ratigan. He instantly realised how foolish this was but it was too late to turn back. The sight of the compass, and the desire to thwart Ratigan one more time, had been too strong to resist. In three bounds he had leapt onto Ratigan's shoulder, onto his outstretched arm and down to the floor again, the compass tucked securely under his arm.

He sprinted along the walkway, ignoring the cries of alarm behind him. He skipped nimbly over the piles of doors, coattails flapping behind him like a flag. Only then did he realise that Ratigan and his cohorts were between him and the rope that led back to his friends. He had no time to formulate a plan. He kept running, not even daring to glance behind.

On the higher walkway, Kim had noted the sudden confusion in Waternoose's group.

"What does he think he's doing?" she growled as she spotted Basil, a tiny dot racing along the walkway.

"We've gotta get out of here!" Mike whimpered, attempting to drag Sully back into the service corridor.

"We can't just leave him," said Kim, wrestling her way out of her costume.

"Of course not!" said Darkwing, reloading the grappling hook into his gas gun.

"You guys stay here," Kim ordered Mike and Sully, "Keep the door open for us, okay?"

Sully nodded.

Kim placed one foot on the railing in front of her. Freed at last from her costume, she was dressed in a closefitting black sweater and cargo pants. In her hand she held a length of fine rope with a grappling hook at one end. She cast it out, skilfully hooking it onto one of the narrow tramways ahead of her. She took a deep breath and swung herself out across the hall.

On the lower walkways, shadows were beginning to spread and bubble around the armoured figure's feet. Round, yellow eyes rose up out of the darkness, dragging slender, black bodies behind them.

"Get the compass," the armoured figure said, gesturing towards Basil. The Heartless leapt forward.

"Basil!" Kim shouted as she passed the walkway. Basil glanced to his right, spotted her and hopped onto the handrail. As the arc of Kim's swing carried her past, he leapt across the void to meet her. Kim felt the tiny pinpricks of his clawed fingers as he clutched at her shoulder. Letting go of the rope, Kim flipped forward to grab the tramway ahead of her.

"What do you think you're doing?" she snarled at Basil as she climbed up onto the tramway.

"I've got the compass!" he announced triumphantly, holding the little black box above his head.

"Wha – No time!" said Kim as she spotted the approaching Heartless. Keeping her balance with little difficulty, she ran along the top of the tramway, hoping to retrieve her grappling hook.

"Faster!" Basil cried from her shoulder. Kim glanced back. The gap between the lower walkway and the tramway was proving no obstacle to the Heartless; they were leaping across with ease. They were closing fast behind her, unfazed by the narrowness of the tramway or the drop below.

The tramway above Kim and to her left caught her attention. It was carrying doors towards the tunnels at the end of the hall, much faster than she could run. Kim sprang across. Her hand caught a door handle. It swung open. Kim was nearly thrown off but her grip held. A purple blur ahead attracted her attention. Darkwing swung down, catching hold of the door in front of her. Holding on with one hand, he aimed his gas gun at the Heartless on the lower tramway. A round bomb flew from the muzzle, its spluttering fuse spinning end over end like a Catherine Wheel. It blew the tramway in two with a crash, and much smoke and fire. Dozens of Heartless were pitched into the gloom below.

"Nice shot," said Kim, grinning.

"Look out!" shouted Basil, pointing ahead.

The young man in the white helmet was standing on the tramway ahead of them. He was carrying a keyblade in his right hand. It was shaped like a bat's wing, with a feathered white wing at the tip. With a single swing he severed the tramway ahead of him, as smoothly as a scythe chopping wheat.

The tramway dropped so rapidly that it was all Kim could do to keep hold of her door. Now she was falling face first. Immense space opened up below her, so deep that she could not see the bottom. Then she felt Darkwing's arm around her waist. There was a 'pop' as the gas gun fired. With another lurch, they were swinging up and forwards on Darkwing's rope, towards the rack of doors on the side wall.

"Climb!" shouted Kim, hauling herself along the rows of doors, her swinging legs giving her extra momentum. Darkwing followed close beside her, with Basil hopping easily from doorframe to doorframe.

The sound of movement drew Kim's gaze up. The red haired girl, wearing a white helmet identical to the young man's, was descending on them, swinging nimbly between the doors. Darkwing raised his gas gun and fired another bomb at her. The girl leapt aside. The bomb blew a hole in the racks, showering the hall with fragments of smouldering wood.

Now the girl was almost beside them. Kim hauled herself up, balancing on the narrow bar that jutted out above the foremost door. The redhead dropped onto a bar a short way across. There was a flash of light as a keyblade, decorated with flowers, appeared in her hand.

Kim grabbed the door above her head and swung herself forward, her foot aimed at the girl's chest. The girl sprang to meet her in an intricate somersault. They crossed in midair. The girl's arm lashed out. The guard of her keyblade hit Kim's forehead with a crack. Stunned, Kim's hands fell from the doorframe. Then she was falling, hands scrabbling vainly for a purchase on the doors as they rushed past.

* * *

_Author's note: F.O.W.L. and Steelbeak are characters from 'Darkwing Duck'. The person in the suit of armour **is **a Disney character but he's in disguise, for now..._


	10. Speak of the Devil

Chapter 10: Speak of the Devil

Kim fell on. The walkway she had swung down from was now a tiny speck far above her. Something was beside her, falling with her. Kim glanced over. It was the girl in the pink dress. The dark visor of her helmet turned towards Kim. A slender arm darted out. It wrapped itself round Kim's waist. Darkness filled Kim's world. It was not just her sight; she could not hear, or taste, or feel anything. Images flashed before her. She could not tell if they were real or only in her mind. She saw a world of boiling shadow, lit by hundreds of yellow eyes. Then there was light again. Her head struck something solid and she lost consciousness.

When she came to Kim found that she was lying on the wide metal walkway running along the centre of the Hall of Doors. On her right was a stack of doors, waiting to be loaded onto the tramways. Darkwing lay on her left, unconscious. Standing over them was the girl in the pink dress. She seemed to be staring off into space. A little way ahead stood Waternoose, Ratigan and the armoured figure, the pointed visor still obscuring his face.

"Mr Waternoose!"

Kim turned. Mike and Sully were approaching. They were surrounded by a ring of Heartless. Kim could just make out Boo, a tiny pink bundle in the crook of Sully's arm.

"Mr. Waternoose… What's happening?" Sully asked plaintively. Waternoose sighed.

"I'm sorry you had to get mixed up in this, James," he said, "Just stay quiet you'll come to no harm. You have my word."

Mike and Sully sat down beside Kim and the unconscious Darkwing. The Heartless moved to encircle them. Kim repressed a shudder as one brushed past her.

"Sorry, Kim," Sully whispered.

"It's okay," said Kim, "You couldn't have done anything. How's Boo?"

Sully shifted his arm a little to let Kim see. Boo was shaking softly. Her eyes were red and her cheeks lined with tearstains. She had reached that dreadful point where you have no more tears left but you still want to cry.

A soft sound, like a sharp knife cutting through silk, drew Kim's attention back to the group around the armoured figure. A large hole, black as midnight, appeared in the air beside Waternoose. The silver haired swordsman stepped through. The hole closed behind him. The swordsman had Basil clasped tightly by the tail in his right hand, and the compass in his left.

Ratigan's hand shot out towards Basil.

"Stop," said the armoured figure, not moving. Ratigan froze.

"Leave him. We can use him as bait," the armoured figure continued. Ratigan's shoulders slumped. He stepped back.

"The compass," the armoured figure said, holding out his hand. The swordsman gave it to him without a word.

"Put him over with the others," said the armoured figure. The swordsman turned and dropped Basil beside Kim.

"You okay?" Kim asked.

"Yes," said Basil testily, not looking at Kim but glaring daggers at Ratigan and the swordsman, "The blackguard was too quick for me, that's all."

"Quiet!" snarled the armoured figure.

He crossed the walkway until he was standing at the very edge, his body pressed up against the handrail. He held his hand out, over the void, with the compass resting in his palm. Kim could hear him mutter something. A pale light shone around the compass, shimmering like heat haze. Suddenly it shot up into the air. It darted back and forth above them, leaving a trail of pale light in its wake. The armoured figure remained perfectly still, hand still outstretched.

Kim watched as the compass flew towards the rack of doors on their right. It began to flit in and out, disappearing down one row and reappearing at the end of another. It appeared to be searching for something. Nobody on the walkway moved. All eyes were fixed on the little pale dot that was the compass as it darted up and down and across the hall.

The compass returned to the armoured figure's hand as suddenly as it had taken flight. The pale light faded. The armoured figure handed the compass back to Ratigan.

"You have found it?" Waternoose asked tentatively.

The armoured figure did not reply. Now he raised both arms above his head. Pale light shimmered around his hands. Kim could hear the sound of something rattling dimly in the distance. There was a crash and an object appeared on her right, flying towards the walkway. As it drew closer she could see that it was a door, black and unadorned, surrounded by a cloud of pale lights.

On the walkway the armoured figure, arms still outstretched, took a step back and allowed the door to come to rest against the handrail. The cloud of lights faded. The door stood before them, as unremarkable as any other.

The armoured figure reached out, turned the plain black handle and opened it. It was an empty frame. He closed it again.

"Ratigan," he said curtly.

Now Ratigan stepped forward. Taking the sack that he had been carrying in his hand, he undid the knot at its neck and upended the contents in front of the door. It was a tiny little child, so thin and pale that Kim could not tell if it was a boy or a girl. Its clothes were barest strips of ragged cloth. It curled itself up into a ball, face buried in its arms.

Ratigan, discarding the sack, seized the child and hauled it to its feet. Keeping his left hand on the child's shoulder, he took the child's arm in his right hand and twisted it round behind its back. The child whimpered but it was powerless to resist the steel fingers of Ratigan's man-like machine.

"Do it," said the armoured figure.

Ratigan forced the child's arm up its back. The child gave a yelp of pain.

"Stop it!" Kim cried. She was halfway to her feet when she froze. The two helmeted youths were standing over her, their keyblades crossed at her throat.

"Sit down and shut up!" snarled the armoured figure.

"Or," he said, turning to face Kim for the first time, "I'll burn the kid alive."

Kim caught a brief glimpse of two dark eyes, glittering above the beak of the visor. She sat back. There was no doubting it: the armoured figure would carry out his threat without a second's thought.

"Get on with it," the armoured figure said, turning back to Ratigan.

Ratigan wrenched the child's arm again, pushing it even higher. The child screeched. It sounded more like an animal than a person. Kim's whole body was shaking with impotent anger. She longed to leap forward, to pitch Ratigan over the handrail and down into the void, but she could do nothing surrounded by the Heartless and the two fearsome keyblade wielders.

Again Ratigan twisted the child's arm, provoking its loudest cry yet. A strange detail reached Kim, even through the fog of her anger. As the child's scream reached its highest pitch, a red blub fixed above the black doorframe flickered into life. It was only for the briefest of moments but, somehow, the scream had affected the door.

Ratigan pushed the arm still higher. The child slumped forward, sobbing. Kim could feel faint warmth coming from the stack of doors on her right. Could it be that the screams were affecting all the doors, not just the black one?

Ratigan forced the arm to its highest point yet. Kim's stomach lurched as she heard the crack of bone. The child's scream echoed even in that vast hall. It reverberated between the racks of door, amplifying its pain again and again. Above the black door, the red bulb flared into life.

"Back!" shouted the armoured figure. Ratigan sprang aside, leaving the child where it lay. The armoured figure made a gesture with its arm and the black door swung open.

A wave of darkness, as high and wide as the door, vomited onto the walkway. It engulfed the weeping child in a second, flowing across the walkway and down into the void in a waterfall of shadow. For a second, Kim thought she could see yellow stars (or were they eyes?); countless pinpricks of light in the darkness just beyond the door but then another wave surged forward, greater than the last, blocking her view.

It rolled across the walkway, carrying with it some great, dark mass. The shape, a lump of shadow, sat in the centre of the walkway for a moment as the stream of lesser darkness flowed around it. It began to swell and stretch. Two great, black arms were thrust out, with two stubby legs behind it. Then it rose, and the shadows slipped away from it like a butterfly shedding its chrysalis. Kim saw a jowly cat's face. A pair of tiny black eyes, brimming with cruelty, swept the scene.

"Why, it's good to be back!" said Pete, grinning.

Something in the dark beyond the door stirred. Pete darted aside. A third wave spewed forth. This time there was no lump. The shadows that pooled on the walkway twisted up; the slender black tendrils rising to merge into solid matter. This form was very tall, thin as a whip, and crowned with a pair of great, curling black horns. The last thing to appear was the face: a woman's, pale and proud as a queen.

Maleficent's gaze passed over the hall. It finally came to rest on Boo, as if puzzled by her. Boo's eyes met hers. Boo screamed. It was a sound of pure terror, drawn from the deepest fears that lurk in the heart of every child.

Kim knew this was the only chance they would get. She leapt to her right and wrenched open the topmost door in the stack, which had been activated by Boo's scream.

"Go!" she shouted. Her hand flew to her belt, opening the first pouch that came to hand and hurling its contents at Maleficent. By chance, it contained smoke bombs. Thick white smoke rolled in all directions, obscuring everything.

Kim glanced round just in time to see Mike and Sully disappearing down through the open door, Sully carrying the unconscious Darkwing over his shoulder. Kim was after them in an instant.

There was a disorienting moment as gravity reasserted itself on the far side of the door (they actually entered the room feet first, in mid air) but Sully kept his head. It was the work of seconds for him to slam the door closed behind them and then rip it from its hinges.

"Will that work?" asked Kim, staring fearfully at the now empty frame, expecting Maleficent to appear there at any moment.

"Yeah," said Sully shakily, sitting down heavily beside her, "There has to be a door at both ends for the connection to work. They can't follow us here."

"Great," said Mike, "the only question now is: where _is_ here?"


	11. Hang together

Chapter 11 – Hang Together

"… luckily, the door took us to a world quite close to Monstropolis. I was able to reach Cid on my Kim-unicator and he picked us up in a couple of hours."

"Where are Sully and the others now?" asked Hercules.

"Radiant Garden," replied Kim, "We dropped them off on the way here. Leon said he would take care of them. It's not safe for them to return to Monstropolis."

The League was seated in an open-fronted café overlooking Traverse Town's First District. The penguin waiters had taken their order and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving the League free to exchange their information in private.

Mickey had briefly related what he, Tarzan and Hercules had overheard on the Isla de Engano. He had been very anxious to hear what had happened at Monster's Inc. He listened intently to Kim's story, his large round eyes appearing to drink in every detail. When she described the girl in the pink dress who had captured her, he murmured something under his breath:

"Kairi…"

She paused.

"Kairi? Isn't she one of your friends; one of the people we're looking for?"

"Uh-huh," said Mickey softly, lost in his own thoughts.

"Sorry," he said, shaking his head, "please, go on."

When Kim reached the part where Pete and Maleficent had appeared, Mickey sat bolt upright, ears quivering, but he did not interrupt her.

Now that Kim had finished her story, all eyes were on Mickey.

"We've gotta go," he said, standing up.

"Go? Why? Where?" said Darkwing.

"Listen carefully, 'cause we don't have much time," said Mickey, very deliberately, "Maleficent, the woman who came through that door, is the most powerful dark witch in all the worlds. Nowhereis safe now she is back. _Nowhere. _That's why we've gotta go: if we stay in one place too long, she'll find us."

The rest of the League stood up but no-one moved from the table. They could all feel it: a strange tension in the air.

"What happened to the waiters?" said Kim softly, glancing round. Apart from them, the café was empty.

"They never came back with our drinks," said Basil.

"Go," said Mickey, summoning his keyblade, "Get to the _Excalibur. _I'll catch up with you."

Kim had not taken three steps when she heard the crash of breaking wood behind her. She glanced back. There was a gang of pirates coming out of the kitchen, cutlasses drawn. Some of them were carrying white ray guns. Kim recognised them immediately: they were the same weapons that the hunters on Tarzan's world had used.

"Go!" Mickey shouted over his shoulder.

The rest of the League rushed out into the square in front of the café. It was a broad space paved with red stone, surrounded by timber framed buildings. On their right, the town's great wooden gates were shut and barred. Ahead and to their left, more bands of pirates were approaching from the other districts, weapons drawn. Some of them were firing their ray guns into the air as they came, the white beams bright against the night sky.

"Trapped!" growled Darkwing, drawing his gas gun.

They had no choice now: they had to fight. Tarzan launched himself at the pirates, screaming his terrible jungle cry. Hercules was just behind him, sword drawn. His blows were so strong that they sheered clean through the pirates' weapons.

Kim and Darkwing moved to confront the gang straight ahead of them. Darkwing fired his gas gun from the hip, covering the ground at their feet with an oil slick. The pirates in front tumbled, causing those behind to fall in turn. As the charge faltered Kim darted among them, fists and feet flying. She moved quickly, attacking and leaping away before her opponents had even hit the floor.

It was over in a matter of seconds. Stunned by the ferocity of the League's charge the pirates turned tail and ran back the way they came. They did not even stop to recover their fallen comrades.

Kim suddenly remembered Mickey. Bits of broken furniture were scattered across the square in front the café. No sounds came from within.

"Your Majesty!" she shouted.

Mickey emerged, keyblade still in hand. There was no sign of the pirates.

"We'd better go," he said calmly, "They won't stay away for long."

The League turned from the café and headed for the town gates. They were a little over halfway there when the gates exploded inwards in a cloud of fire and smoke. Kim ducked, arm raised to protect her face.

She looked up. A dark figure was emerging from the dust and debris. Two red eyes shone through the smoke.

"Surrender," it boomed, "There is no escape."

As the dust settled, Kim could see that the red eyes were set in a purple helmet, above a snarling mouthpiece.

"Out of the way, Zurg," said Mickey, levelling his keyblade at him.

"Petty king! You think because you have defeated a rabble of pirates that you are strong? Fool! You are nothing compared to the might of Zurg!"

He raised his right hand, aiming a huge three-barrelled gun at Mickey.

"You will all perish!" he continued, "My master has decreed it. You will – "

"Oh, _purh-lease_! Would you quit monologue-ing?!"

A man stepped up beside Zurg. He had spiky red hair and wore a suit of black and white spandex. On his torso was a large letter 'S'.

"Nice cape," said Kim sarcastically, "What's the 'S' stand for? Sissy boy?"

"My name is Syndrome!" the young man snarled, squaring up to her.

"We don't have time for this," said Mickey, "Tarzan! Hercules!"

The two men charged. Zurg fired a ball of searing yellow plasma at Hercules. He dived aside. The ball of plasma exploded as it struck the ground, sending chips of stone flying into the air.

Syndrome raised his right hand. A beam of blue light shot from his finger. It struck Tarzan, surrounding him with a shimmering force field that seemed to freeze him in place. Syndrome flicked his wrist. Tarzan was hurled across the square. He struck a brick wall, and fell ten feet to the ground. He did not get up.

The rest of the League scattered. Mickey ran right, back towards the café, a stream of magical white arrows flying from the end of his keyblade. Zurg was driven back. He returned fire but Mickey was too fast and too small to hit.

Hercules seized a cast-iron park bench, ripped it from the ground with one hand, and hurled it at Syndrome. Syndrome leapt aside and up into the air, levitating using rockets in the soles of his boots.

Kim ran back, away from Zurg, taking cover around the corner of a nearby shop building. Her eyes scanned the square, looking for some way to approach Zurg or Syndrome without being seen.

Hercules grabbed a lamppost and threw it, javelin-style, towards Syndrome. Syndrome caught the lamppost in another force field. He spun it round, like an athlete doing the hammer throw, and sent it hurtling back towards Hercules. Hercules leapt aside, easily avoiding it.

Darkwing, crouching behind a letterbox, took aim at Zurg. A cluster of smoke bombs landed at his feet. Thick, white smoke blossomed in all directions, covering the square.

Kim kept her head down. She didn't dare move out into the smog. She could not see anything. Yellow, white and blue lights flashed somewhere out in the square. Kim could hear the boom of Zurg's plasma blasts, dulled by the smoke, followed by the sharp clatter of falling debris.

There was a deep, prolonged rumble on Kim's left. A cloud of brown dust rolled across the square, driving back the white smoke. As things became a little clearer, she could see that the wall of one of the houses had collapsed. Syndrome was hovering just above it, watching as Hercules struggled to free himself from the ruins. Kim glanced to her right. Zurg had both Mickey and Darkwing pinned down behind cover. Tarzan was still unconscious.

Taking her new grappling hook from her belt, Kim ran into the square, crouched low. Syndrome had not noticed her. He was trying to raise a timber beam from the rubble to drop on Hercules, who was still struggling to get free. As soon as she judged that she was close enough Kim drew her arm back and threw the hook. It spun around Syndrome's leg. The line went taught, jerking him down a foot. The beam he was trying to lift fell back with a crunch.

He rounded on Kim. She pulled harder at the rope but Syndrome's rockets were too strong and he flew higher. He raised his right hand, finger pointed straight at Kim. She crouched, tense, ready to dodge.

A red laser beam struck Syndrome's forearm, severing his glove in two.

"No!" he cried.

He twisted round, just as a green and white blur hammered into him. Syndrome was hurled out of the air and through the window of a nearby house.

The blur twisted in the air and landed smoothly in the centre of the square. Now that he was still, Kim could see that it was a man in a green and white spacesuit. The face beneath the clear dome was square jawed and handsome. His right arm was raised, with his left hand poised above a button on his forearm.

Zurg whipped round, turning his gun on the spaceman.

"Lightyear!" he cried, ignoring the League.

"Emperor Zurg, by the authority invested in me by the Intergalactic Alliance, I am placing you under arrest," declared the spaceman, "Put down your weapon and surrender peacefully."

Zurg laughed as he fired a volley of plasma blasts at the spaceman. The spaceman dropped, rolled aside, rose and returned fire, all with incredible speed. He fought with a ray gun mounted on his right forearm. Zurg sidestepped the red beam, floating to his right and towards the town gates. The spaceman fired again, this time across Zurg's path.

"Another time, Lightyear!" said Zurg, raising his free hand. There was a flash of purple light, so bright that Kim was forced to cover her eyes. When she could see again, Zurg was nowhere to be found.

Mickey stepped out from the café and approached the spaceman.

"Thank you," he said, extending his hand. The spaceman saluted smartly.

"Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Your Majesty," he barked, like a solider on parade.

"You… know who I am?"

"Yes, sire. Star Command received intelligence that the Emperor Zurg had left Planet Z in pursuit of one King Mickey and his servants – "

"Hey! We're not servants!" said Kim.

" – who were last seen en route to Traverse Town," Buzz continued as if Kim had not spoken, "I was immediately dispatched to engage and apprehend the said Emperor Zurg. I failed. My apologies, sire."

"Gee, don't apologise!" said Mickey hastily.

"Just doing my duty, sire."

Mickey nodded. He seemed a little intimidated by Buzz.

Buzz flipped open a panel on his left forearm to reveal a small bank of instruments and computer displays.

"Sire," he said, examining the instruments, "my scans indicate numerous gummi-ships en route to this location. I would advise an immediate evacuation."

"Good idea," said Mickey, nodding.

The League passed through the remnants of the town gates with Hercules, practically unscathed, supporting the semi-conscious Tarzan with his shoulder. Buzz went with them, walking beside Mickey.

"What is your plan, sire?" Buzz asked.

"To warn others what has happened. Things are even more dangerous than I thought."

"And then?"

Mickey sighed.

"To find my friends; wherever they are. Somethin' tells me they're the key to all this. I've gotta keep looking for them."

"I would like to accompany you, sire," said Buzz, "Although my primary mission is to capture Zurg, it appears that _his_ goal is to capture _you_. Any enemy of Zurg's is a friend of mine."

"Of course," said Mickey, brightening up, "Times like this, you need all the pals you can get."

The pirates had not tried to board the _Excalibur; _her cockpit was still locked and there was no sign of any attempt to open it. Buzz announced that he had seen some ships under guard on the far side of town as he flew in; he assumed that they belonged to the pirates.

Buzz and the League boarded. Everyone went into the cabin below, except for Mickey and Basil.

"Your Majesty, something is perplexing me," said Basil thoughtfully, seating himself on the dashboard

"What do you mean?" said Mickey, only half-listening as he prepared for takeoff.

"Just this," said Basil, "you said that this Maleficent is a powerful witch, correct?"

"Yeah."

"And now that she has returned from wherever she has been, would you say that she presents a threat to our enterprise?"

"No question."

"Greater than the Emperor Zurg and his minions?"

"They're not in the same _league _as her."

"Intriguing…" said Basil.

"What's on your mind?" asked Mickey. The _Excalibur's _rockets fired. She hopped into the air, hovering a few metres above the ground. Taking hold of the wheel, Mickey tilted her nose up. She began to rise, faster and faster, racing towards the stars.

"Does it not seem strange to Your Majesty that these villains should choose to send such comparative weaklings to apprehend us, when they possess a much greater weapon in their arsenal?" said Basil.

"Yeah… That is kinda strange," said Mickey thoughtfully.

"One would almost presume that it was not their intention to defeat us at all," said Basil slowly, considering each word with great care.

"Then why send them?"

"To mislead us? To threaten us? Maybe to… flush… us… out?"

"Basil? What's wrong?" said Mickey.

Basil did not reply. He was staring, open mouthed, over Mickey's shoulder at something through the cockpit dome. Mickey turned his head.

At first he thought it was a vast, grey storm cloud but there are no storms in interspace. It was solid, vast as a moon, and pockmarked with meteor craters. A red line appeared near its base, wide as a horizon. It grew larger, revealing teeth as tall as elephants. Behind them was a tongue, and behind that a chasm of a throat. It was moving towards them, smooth and effortless despite its bulk. In the tiny cockpit of the _Excalibur, _Mickey and Basil sat and stared as Monstro bore down on them.

* * *

_Author's Note: Syndrome is the villain from _The Incredibles. _Monstro is the whale who swallowed _Pinocchio_._


	12. All the trouble we get in

Chapter 12: All the trouble we get in with another tailspin

The _Excalibur _spun round. Inside the cockpit, Mickey's hand was a blur as it moved across the console, pressing buttons and activating switches. He raised the speaking tube to his mouth:

"Fellas, strap yourselves in _now!"_

Monstro was bearing down on the tiny gummi-ship at an amazing speed. His mouth was a scarlet cavern, yawning wider and wider with every passing second.

Mickey grabbed a lever beside his right hand and pushed it as far forward as it would go. The hum of the _Excalibur's _engine soared until it reached a barely audible whine. She leapt forward, blue fire flying from her engine. There were some cries of alarm from the cabin. Kim climbed up into the cockpit.

"Your Majesty, what's… Whoa!" she exclaimed as she spotted Monstro.

"Can't we go to warp?" she asked, taking a seat behind Mickey.

"He's too close," Mickey replied through gritted teeth, arms stiff with the effort of controlling the _Excalibur _at such a high speed.

"We have to be out in open space for it work," he explained, "I've gotta try and put some distance between us."

The _Excalibur _was a little further ahead than she had been but Monstro was keeping pace with her. His jaws had now closed. His lips were curled back, displaying a set of great white teeth, each one taller than a bull elephant.

"What is it?" asked Kim, staring awestruck through the cockpit dome.

"Gummi-pilots call him Monstro," said Buzz, taking the seat beside her, "He's menaced shipping in every quadrant of the galaxy. Funny, I've never heard of him coming this close to a settled world before…"

"What do you mean: 'menaced'?" Kim asked, afraid that she could already guess the answer.

"Swallowed whole; entire ships, gone, without a trace."

Kim glanced back. Monstro was a mile long if he was an inch. There might have been room for a whole fleet in his stomach.

"There's an asteroid field up ahead," said Mickey, reading from a computer display on the console, "I'm gonna try and lose him in there."

The asteroids were made from blue gummi, studded with smaller lumps of different colours. Kim would have called them huge; boulders the size of sky scrapers, drifting through the void of interspace. Monstro dwarfed them.

Mickey lowered the _Excalibur's _pitch, bringing her right in amongst the asteroids.

"This is gonna be tricky," he murmured under his breath.

An asteroid loomed down on them from starboard. Mickey rolled the ship over, skimming just above the surface. The field ahead of them was a maze of shifting pathways between the gummi, some of them barely wide enough for the _Excalibur _to pass through_. _

Kim felt a tremor pass through the ship. Something struck the energy shield with a crackle. She glanced back. Monstro, head down, was barging his way through the asteroids. The first two hurtled away and collided with others, sending them bouncing into others in turn like some cosmic pool table. Shards of razor-edged gummi were flying in all directions, striking other asteroids and the _Excalibur_.

"This shouldn't be happening," said Mickey hoarsely.

"I've never heard of Monstro following a ship this determinedly," said Buzz, frowning.

"It's like someone's sent him after us," said Kim.

Mickey piloted the _Excalibur _through the tightest passages, slaloming and twisting between the gummi with consummate skill. The other passengers were left clinging to their seats as the _Excalibur _rolled back and forth, often at the last second, to avoid being crushed to pieces. Monstro had no such problems: what he could not avoid, he simply battered aside. Worse still, while Mickey was forced to zig-zag between the gummi, Monstro could go in more or less a straight line. He was catching up.

"Does this ship have any weapons?" Buzz asked.

"Nothing that'd slow Monstro down," said Mickey grimly. Kim doubted that there was a weapon in the whole universe that could do more than scratch the titanic whale.

The _Excalibur _dipped behind a large asteroid. Monstro crashed through it. There was an explosion of gummi. Great chunks flew past the cockpit. One piece, vast as a house, struck the _Excalibur. _There was a flash of green light as the energy shield collapsed under the force of the blow. Mickey wrenched the ship's nose around. It saved them all. The chunk struck only a glancing blow on the port wing but it was enough. Red lights began to flash on the pilot's console.

"It's taken out the port engine," said Mickey, fighting with the ship's wheel to keep the _Excalibur _steady.

Kim wasn't listening. She was staring intently out of the cockpit dome, almost oblivious to the chaos surrounding her.

"Look at his eyes," she said softly.

Buzz and Basil followed her gaze. She was staring at Monstro.

"He doesn't appear to have any," said Basil, frowning.

"No. Look, there," said Kim, pointing. Monstro had just turned to the right, giving them a fleeting glimpse of his left eye, low on the side of his head. Someone had built a strange contraption of white metal over his eye. It was pointed, with sloping sides, like a circus top. The tip was shiny and black.

"There's one on the other side, too," said Kim.

"By Jove! I'd wager _they're_ the reason for this beast's odd behaviour!" said Basil.

"Hey, I was about to say that!" said Kim.

"Can you shoot them off, Your Majesty?" Buzz asked.

"I don't want to turn us about," said Mickey, "It'd be too easy for Monstro to swallow us."

"Then I'll go," said Buzz, standing up.

"What? No! You wouldn't stand a chance!" said Kim.

"A Space Ranger's first duty is to protect," said Buzz, eyes glittering with noble sentiment.

"Yes but…well, be reasonable, man!" said Basil.

"I think this ship is his target; he's unlikely to notice me," said Buzz, "Your Majesty, is there an airlock aboard this vessel?"

"Yes, behind the cabin," said Mickey, "but Buzz, I'm not sure…"

But Buzz was already climbing down the ladder into the cabin. Mickey sighed. He entered a command sequence into the console.

"I've patched his communicator through to the cockpit," he explained.

"Buzz, can you hear me, over?"

Buzz's voice, slightly tinny over the communicator, replied from the speaking tube:

"Loud and clear, Your Majesty. Ready to disembark, over."

"Good luck, Buzz. If you can't damage those things come back aboard right away, over."

"Affirmative, Your Majesty."

"Opening airlock now. Over and out."

"To infinity and beyond!"

The _Excalibur _gave a little shudder as the airlock door slid open. A moment later Kim saw Buzz hurtle past the dome, a green and white blur against the blue gummi. He looked tiny, surrounded by those vast asteroids; the exhaust flame of his rocket pack was no more than a pinpoint of light.

He soared up, away and above the _Excalibur, _towards Monstro. Kim saw that Buzz had been right; Monstro took no more notice of him than a person would a gnat. Buzz paused for a second, floating in space, as Monstro passed beneath him. Everything around Kim seemed still. The sounds of the warning sirens were dull in her ears. Her whole attention was fixed on that minute figure. The blue asteroids, Monstro's grey skin, the black of interspace; they formed a dim and dreary background to his bright exhaust flame.

Buzz dived. He hurtled down, following the curve of Monstro's great, pockmarked body. There was a flash of red; a solitary dagger of light stabbing from Buzz's arm.

Monstro screamed. The people aboard _Excalibur _did not hear him but they definitely felt it. The force of that cry, generated from a throat as big as a cathedral, shook the gummi ship right to the tip of her nosecone.

Now Monstro was flailing about, thrashing in blind rage at whatever was attacking it. He twisted around. His tail swung in a great curve, shattering hundreds of asteroids into fragments. The _Excalibur_ was engulfed, carried along in a whirlwind of blue gummi. Kim and Basil were hurled from the floor to the ceiling and back again. Only Mickey, firmly strapped into the pilot's seat, remained in place. Kim threw her arms over her head, thrust her knees up to her chin and waited for everything to stop moving.

Kim's mind went blank for a very long time; paralysed with helpless fear. Then she felt a gentle hand touch her shoulder.

"Kim, are you okay?" asked Mickey.

Kim looked up. Everything inside the cockpit was still. The _Excalibur _was flying slow and level. The world outside the cockpit was dark, lit by stars. There were no asteroids. Monstro was nowhere to be seen.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said. Mickey helped her to her feet.

"How are the others?" she asked.

"No-one's seriously hurt," he said, returning to the pilot's seat, "Basil's got an ice cube on his head; he got knocked out on the ceiling when we turned over."

"And Buzz?"

Mickey's ears drooped.

"He's not responding to any of my hails."

Kim stepped forward and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, I'm sure he's alright," she said softly, "His communicator probably got damaged."

Mickey said nothing.

"It's okay; he's a tough guy," Kim continued, determined to be optimistic, "I bet he's survived much worse than that."

"Yeah…" said Mickey with a sigh. He took hold of the wheel.

"We're stuck flying on rockets," he said, matter of fact again, "We can't go to warp with only one engine. The _Excalibur _is too beat-up to get us much farther. We're gonna have to land somewhere where we can make repairs or find ourselves another ship."

He reached down and activated the display on the console beside him.

"Ah-ha," he said softly, "Finally, a little luck!"

"What?" said Kim.

"We've come out dead on course for Cape Suzette," Mickey explained, "There are no better pilots than the bush pilots of Cape Suzette. We can charter a new ship there to take us to my castle."

"Your castle? Is that where we're going next?" said Kim.

"Yes. Right now, it's the closest thing we've got to a safe place," said Mickey, "We need to step back; take another look at the situation. I still don't know what's goin' on but it's much bigger than a few troublemakers causin' a ruckus.

"Luckily, the communicator is still workin'. I've sent warnings to all my friends. We are all in great danger."

"Then the sooner we get to this castle of yours the better," said Kim.

Without warp engines the League had nothing to do but settle back for the long flight ahead of them. Kim went down into the cabin to join the others dozing in the comfortable armchairs. Mickey alone refused to join them. Kim had never realised how intense the King was. He sat bolt upright in the pilot's chair, eyes constantly scanning the various dials, ears twitching at the slightest noise. He never seemed to tire or slow down. She wondered where he got his energy from. It was quite eerie.

After a refreshing nap Kim returned to the cockpit to find Mickey exactly as she had left him. His eyes were fixed on the route ahead but he would occasionally glance down at the radar screen on his right. Kim moved to stand behind him and looked down at the radar. There were two clusters of dots on either side of the screen, moving in parallel with the _Excalibur_.

"Pirates," said Mickey, pre-empting her question.

"Pirates? Why don't they attack?" asked Kim.

"I don't know. I guess they're just keeping an eye on us; seeing where we go," said Mickey, "They've been following us for hours."

The pirate ships remained with the _Excalibur _all the way to Cape Suzette; never closing, never dropping back.

The town of Cape Suzette was on the northernmost tip of a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by a bright tropical sea. It was built on the shores of a natural bay, very wide and deep. The sole entrance, by both sea and air, was through a narrow gap in the towering cliffs that surrounded the bay on all sides.

Mickey brought the _Excalibur _low, beneath the clouds, as he approached the cliffs. Entering a brief command sequence into the console, he raised the speaking tube to his mouth and said:

"This is the _Excalibur, _calling the Cape Suzette cliffs. Do you read me, over?"

"This is the cliffs. We read you _Excalibur_, over," replied a friendly, if formal, voice from the console speaker.

"Request permission to enter, over," said Mickey.

"Permission pending. Please transmit your authentication code, over."

Mickey tapped out a sequence on the console buttons.

"Authentication code received," said the voice on the other end of the communicator, "You are cleared to enter Cape Suzette. Looks you've got some pretty hefty damage there, sir. Over."

"Yeah. We're lookin' to charter another ship, over."

"Well, I hope you're not in a hurry. I don't if you've noticed but you've a whole hornet's nest o' pirates breathin' down your neck. Chances are that all ships inside the city are gonna be grounded until we've seen them off, over."

"Understood. _Excalibur _over and out."

"What are we going to do if they do try to ground us?" Kim asked.

"We won't stay any longer than is necessary," said Mickey, "We're putting this town in danger just by bein' here."

Kim did not argue with him but she pitied anyone who tried to attack Cape Suzette. On either side of the gap that permitted access to the town, there were mounted hundreds upon hundreds of guns. There were batteries of long guns and short guns; guns for firing into high altitude and low altitude; guns for shooting ships from the sky and guns for sinking them to the deep. Every gun was clean, well provisioned and attended by a team of gunners.

The _Excalibur _passed unhindered through the gap in the cliffs. The city of Cape Suzette lay ahead. It was clean, spacious and, in places, beautiful. At the highest point of town there were many skyscrapers, dozens of white towers stretching gracefully to the sky. Further down, towards the waterfront, the buildings were less beautiful, more functional, with factories and warehouses crammed side by side. At the shoreline, dozens of wooden jetties protruded out into the bay like stubby fingers.

It was alongside one of these jetties that Mickey finally brought the _Excalibur _to rest. Climbing down, the League could see the true extent of the damage for the first time. The port wing was almost completely torn away, leaving only a white stump. The hull had been scarred, often inches deep, on both sides. Kim was amazed that Mickey had been able to pilot it at all.

"Come on, we've gotta go," said Mickey.

"But Your Majesty, how are we gonna find a pilot in this city?" said Hercules, staring up at the downtown skyscrapers, "It's huge!"

"It's simple," said Mickey, "All the small charter companies have their offices on the waterfront. We just keep walking 'til we find someone who's available for hire."

The League began to move down the jetty. They had just reached the waterfront proper when they heard the guns. Muffled by the thick cliffs, they sounded more distant than they actually were. It was a steady rhythm of notes, higher or lower depending on the size of the gun.

Kim glanced up and down the waterfront. The citizens of Cape Suzette, animals like Mickey and Darkwing, did not seem in the least bit alarmed by the sound of gunfire not half a mile from their city. A few paused, glanced towards the cliffs, and then returned to whatever business they had to do.

"It would appear that pirate attacks are nothing new to this city," said Basil.

"Let's hope that's all it is," said Mickey.

The League turned off the jetty and moved along the waterfront. The first jetty they came to was dominated by small wooden building with a square tower rising from its roof. A yellow gummi-ship resembling an old seaplane was resting in the water off the end of the jetty. Beside it a sign, carved into a piece of curved wood and mounted on two poles, read 'Higher for Hire'.

The League was about to turn and knock at the door of the office building when they noticed the figure snoozing in a hammock strung beneath the near wing of the gummi-ship. It was a bear, tall and thickly built, with grey fur and wearing a peaked pilot's cap.

Mickey approached.

"Excuse me?" he said shyly.

The bear continued to snore.

"Excuse me?" said Mickey, softly.

There was still no response from the bear. Tarzan stepped forward and growled, ever so softly. The bear leapt out of the hammock as if he had been stung, narrowly avoiding tumbling into the water.

"Hey! Wh-what's the big idea, huh? Can't you seen I'm sleepin'?" he demanded.

"Sorry but we're kinda in a hurry," said Mickey, "We're lookin' to hire a gummi-ship."

"Can't help you, pal," said the bear grumpily, "You hear that? That's the cliff guns and when they're firin' like _that, _that means nobody's takin' off. Go buy yourself a newspaper or something 'cause you're in for a _long_ wait."

The sounds of gun fire seemed more urgent. There were more of them now and they were firing faster.

"Gee, I'm sorry Mister…?" said Mickey.

"Baloo. Just Baloo."

"Baloo, you've gotta listen. While we're here, this whole city is in terrible danger. We've got to get out of here as fast as we can."

"Say, that's a new one," said Baloo dryly as he settled back into his hammock, "I'm gonna have to write it down."

"Listen, you slovenly slob!" snapped Darkwing, pushing his way to the front of the group, "Can't you get it through your thick skull? This entire city is in peril and we require _your_ ship to save it! Can you ignore the call of justice?"

"Watch me," said Baloo, pushing his hat down over his eyes.

"Nice going, Mister Tact," said Kim.

"Well I didn't see _you _doing anything to help!" said Darkwing, rounding on her. Mickey had just opened his mouth to call for calm when he froze. The guns had stopped.

The League turned to look across the bay. Green fire was burning all along the cliff tops. They could hear the roar of many gummi engines coming through the gap below.

"We're too late," said Mickey, "They're here."

* * *

_Authors note: Cape Suzette is the main setting for the cartoon _Talespin_, which features Baloo, orginally from _The Jungle Book, _as a bush pilot._


	13. Following the leader

Chapter 13: Following the leader

The League stared across the bay, watching the swarm of gummi-ships pouring through the gap in the cliffs. They were small but heavily armed and very numerous. Squadrons of grey gummi-fighters screeched over the city; the last line of defence between Cape Suzette and the pirates.

Down on the waterfront there were cries of alarm. Panic spread quickly. The wooden jetties clattered to the sound of running feet. Some people fled into buildings, bolting the doors behind them. Others turned inland, heading for higher ground. Baloo leapt out of his hammock like a scalded cat.

"Outta my way!" he yelled, barging past the League.

"Hey, wait!" Mickey called, giving chase. The rest of the League followed close behind. They caught up with Baloo as he was about to turn off the waterfront and join the stream of people heading downtown.

"Stop! Hey, listen!" Mickey cried, grabbing Baloo's arm.

"Quit it!" snapped Baloo, rounding on the League, "What do you think you're doin'? Those pirates are gonna be here any minute!"

"Please, we need your ship," said Mickey.

"What?! You're crazy," said Baloo, turning to go, "I ain't got time for this. I've gotta find Becky and Kit…"

"And then? You can't help them, Baloo" said Mickey, earnestly, "You can't fight the pirates. You sure can't fight who's comin' with them. If you wanna save your friends you have to help us escape. The pirates are after _us_. If we go, they'll go."

Baloo paused, frozen by indecision. Kim turned to see what was happening above the bay. Her jaw dropped. A shower of flaming blue meteors was descending from the sky. They fell among the defending gummi-ships, striking many. Pillars of steam rose from the bay as the burning wreckage plunged into the water. The surviving defenders scattered, pursued mercilessly by the pirate ships.

"Please," Mickey said to Baloo, "we've gotta go _now._"

Baloo sighed.

"I'm gonna regret this…" he said as he started back towards the jetty.

"Alright!" said Kim.

"Top hole, old boy," added Basil.

They stopped. A great mass of liquid-gas darkness was rising out of the ground ahead of them. It swelled, peeling back like the petals of a chrysanthemum. Pete stood before them, leering horribly.

"You're goin' nowhere," he said, cracking his knuckles.

"Out of our way, Pete," said Mickey.

"I'm sorry short-stuff but me an' Maleficent got orders," said Pete, "Y'see there's an ol' friend who wants to see you."

Mickey's brow creased into a frown.

"An old friend…?" he murmured.

"Yeah, so you jus' sit tight and…" Pete began but Mickey was not to be distracted.

"Hercules," he said.

Pete shifted his weight, ready to square up to Hercules, but he was too slow. Hercules was inside his reach before Pete knew what was happening. His fist connected with Pete's jaw with a sharp crack. Pete crumpled to the ground.

"Come on," said Baloo, hopping over the fallen Pete. The League followed a few paces then paused. Mickey had not moved.

"Your Majesty?" said Darkwing. Mickey was standing still, staring into the sky. The League followed his gaze. Storm clouds were gathering overhead but out over the bay the sky was still a clear blue.

"Too late..." Mickey said softly. His head whipped round to face the League.

"Go. Take off. Don't wait for me. I'll catch up."

"But…" Kim began.

"Don't argue. _Go!"_

The force behind Mickey's voice was irresistible. The League found their feet obeying despite their great reluctance.

Mickey stood motionless, staring up at the gathering clouds. The very centre, directly above his head, was growing darker and darker by the second. There was a flash of lightning, striking the ground just in front of him. Maleficent rose up, robed in tendrils of dark smoke.

"Your Majesty," she said, inclining her head very slightly.

"Maleficent," said Mickey, returning the courtesy. His keyblade appeared in his hand in a flash of light. The orb on the tip of Maleficent's staff gave off a pulse of green light in answer.

"Your staff, please," said Mickey mechanically.

"I'm afraid I must decline."

"Very well then."

A halo of white light shone around Mickey. Maleficent raised her staff, green fire flickering from the tip.

* * *

Down on the waterfront the rest of the League had reached the _Sea Duck._

"What about your friend?" Baloo asked as he wrenched open the hatch.

"He take can take care of himself," said Kim testily, "Just get this thing in the air, okay?"

The interior of the _Sea Duck_ was divided by partitions. To the rear were stores and a bunkroom. In the middle was the cargo-hold, furnished with some chairs, and ahead there was a small cockpit. Hercules, Darkwing and Tarzan took their seats in the cargo-hold while Kim and Basil joined Baloo in the cockpit.

"This is all manner of stupid: flying into the middle of a dogfight…" Baloo muttered to himself as he activated the engines.

They heard a sudden explosion behind them. Everyone in the cockpit jumped.

"The pirates?" said Basil.

"Didn't sound like a bomb to me…" said Kim.

"Maybe getting out of here isn't such a bad idea after all…" said Baloo, taking hold of the wheel.

As the _Sea Duck _taxied out onto the bay, Kim looked through the window and up at the skies. The blue meteors had vanished as suddenly as they had appeared. The pirate ships had dispersed to pick off the last of the defenders or to head inland in search of plunder.

"Here we go," said Baloo, pushing down on the throttle.

The _Sea Duck's _engines hummed gently as she gathered speed, surf churning up against her pontoons. Baloo pushed the throttle harder. The engines snarled. The hum became a roar. Twin fountains of water sprayed out behind her. Then they were up, hovering just above the surface of the watyer. Kim clung to the armrests on her chair. She had thought that the _Excalibur _was fast: the _Sea Duck _made her look like a lumbering old tub.

"Can you see what's happening behind us?" Baloo asked her, scanning the sky above in case the pirates should notice them.

Moving with great care Kim turned and slid open the window beside her. Leaning out, she looked back towards Cape Suzette.

"What's goin' on?" asked Baloo. Kim tried to reply but the words stuck in her throat. She did not know how to describe it.

The waterfront was devastated: dozens of buildings had been reduced to charred husks. For a second she thought that the pirates had attacked it as they passed overhead. Then there was a terrific flash of light, green against white, accompanied by a terrific noise. As the light died she could see that a nearby warehouse, built of stout brick, had been all but levelled. More flashes of light followed, spikes of green and white stabbing into the air. Whole streets were reduced to ruins in a matter of seconds.

The _Sea Duck _was nearing the far side of the bay. The cliffs were ahead but Kim was still staring back, mesmerised by the colossal forces at work in Cape Suzette. A great green light appeared, a little to her left. It was coming from a very large fire that was consuming the nearby buildings. It grew at tremendous speed, swelling until it stood tall enough to rival the downtown skyscrapers. For a moment the fire seemed to take the shape of a dragon, green as poison, with its jaws opened wide. It looked as if it wanted to swallow Cape Suzette whole. Then there was the greatest flash of light yet: a mushroom cloud of white energy that filled the horizon. Kim clapped a hand over her eyes just in time. When she looked again she saw a great tide of dark smoke rolling across the bay towards them. Cape Suzette was completely hidden.

"Faster!" she shouted back into the cockpit, "You've got to go faster!"

Baloo pushed the throttle as far as it would go. Kim clung to the window frame, her knuckles white as the _Sea Duck _barrelled through the gap in the cliffs. Now they were out, flying over the open sea but the wall of smoke was still coming. The cliffs proved no barrier to it. It rolled over them without losing any speed.

"Faster! Higher!" Kim shouted.

A small orb appeared, glowing with a bright light. It flew out of the smoke. It was moving incredibly fast, straight towards the _Sea Duck_. There was no time to dodge or weave: it was simply too fast. There was no time to even call out a warning. Kim threw herself back into the cockpit and braced herself for the impact.

A second passed, then another. Nothing had happened. Kim glanced in both the rear-view mirrors. They were starting to gain ground on the wall of smoke. There was no sign of the glowing orb. Then she heard cries of alarm from the cargo hold. Coming through the hatch, she saw that the orb had somehow phased through the hull of the _Sea Duck_. It had slowed considerably, gently setting down between Darkwing and Hercules. The orb faded, leaving Mickey standing on the deck. He shook his head as if to clear it. He spotted Kim, gave a small smile, and collapsed.

"Your Majesty!" Kim cried, rushing to help.

"In my… left pocket…," he murmured as Hercules lifted him up and placed him on an empty chair.

Doing as Mickey had instructed, Kim discovered a small red phial sealed with a glass stopper. Not knowing what else to do, Kim opened it and poured the contents into Mickey's mouth. The effect was instantaneous. It was as if someone had flicked a switch inside him. Mickey sat bolt upright in his chair and fixed Kim with his familiar, intense stare.

"Thanks!" he said.

"Your Majesty… what…?" Kim began.

"Your Majesty, what happened to Maleficent? Did you kill her?" Hercules asked.

"No," said Mickey, shaking his head, "but she's weakened. It should be a while before she feels strong enough to come after us again.

"Now," he said brightly, "let's see if we can't get to my castle this time, huh?"

Kim watched as Mickey crossed the cargo hold and entered the cockpit. The contents of the phial had certainly returned his strength but it felt a little like cheating. Magical strength was borrowed strength; Kim doubted it was a good substitute for real rest. She was afraid that Mickey had reached breaking point and was now determined to push himself even further.

She moved to stand in the hatchway and listen while Mickey and Baloo talked.

"So everyone's okay?" said Baloo.

"Yeah, they should be," said Mickey, "There's a whole lot of damage down on the docks but the people got out before the real fighting started. The pirates will probably do a bit of looting but they won't hurt anybody: there's no money in it for them."

"You'd better be right," said Baloo grimly.

"It would have been lot worse if we had stayed," said Mickey, laying a hand on Baloo's shoulder, "You did the right thing, pal."

"Just tell me where we're supposed to be goin'," snapped Baloo.

"Disney Castle. Your ship can refuel there and then return home, if you like," replied Mickey, "Can your ship warp that far?"

"There ain't a corner of interspace where my baby can't go," said Baloo proudly.

The _Sea Duck _climbed up through the atmosphere and into the starry void. Baloo leant across and examined the scanner intently.

"All clear," he said, "There are a few ships, carriers for the smaller ones I'd guess, but they're a way off yet. We're clear to jump."

While Mickey gave Baloo the co-ordinates of his castle, the rest of the League strapped themselves down. Basil took refuge in a pouch on Kim's belt.

"Everybody ready?" said Baloo, "Here we go!"

There was the familiar sensation of being both stretched and compressed at the same time. The view through the cockpit window was a swirl of streaked colour. The _Sea Duck _hit real-space again with a jolt. Kim could feel her stomach churn and wondered if one ever got used to warp jumps.

Baloo leant over to check the scanner. He did a little jump. He grabbed the wheel again.

"We've gotta get out of here!" he cried, swinging the _Sea Duck _round as fast as he could.

Kim leaned forward to get a better look at the scanner. The top right hand corner was crowded with dots, some large, some small. Through the window she could see the vast green orb that was presumably Mickey's homeworld. Between it and the _Sea Duck_, still some distanceaway, was floating a cloud of dark, indistinct shapes: a whole fleet of gummi-ships.

"They knew we were comin'," Mickey said softly.

"Your Majesty?" said Basil, looking up at him.

"They knew this was what I'd do," said Mickey, "They _knew _that I would try to get home."

"Strap yourselves back in," ordered Baloo, tapping out new co-ordinates on the navigation controls, "We're making another jump, pronto."

"No, turn around" said Mickey, "We've got to make it to the castle."

Baloo stared at him with something approaching awe.

"You really are crazy," he said.

"We've gotta try," said Mickey firmly.

"Try, in an unarmed cargo ship?! It's suicide!" cried Baloo, "Those ain't no pleasure yachts out there you know!"

"Don't you get it?" replied Mickey, "It's all or nothin' now. Either we break through here or they catch us somewhere else. Right now, my castle is the only place that's guaranteed safe in the whole universe."

"What makes you so darn sure?" demanded Baloo. Kim had been tempted to ask the same question.

"The Cornerstone of Light," said Mickey solemnly, "It's an ancient artefact that protects the castle against the Heartless. Nothing dark can enter there, so long as it is protected by the Cornerstone."

Baloo frowned and shook his head:

"Uh-uh: magic stone or no magic stone, I ain't flying into a pirate fleet. I'm getting out of here."

"I'm afraid you're too late, old boy," said Basil, who had been watching the scanner. Several streams of smaller dots were pouring from the greater cloud and approaching the _Sea Duck_.

"They've launched their fighters," said Baloo through gritted teeth.

"Baloo, you've got to try," said Mickey earnestly.

"They're expecting you to run," added Kim, "You turn around and blast right through them you might catch them off balance."

"Re-route all available power into the shields. It should give you a fightin' chance," advised Mickey, strapping himself in beside Baloo.

Baloo shook his head. He sighed deeply.

"Well, if I'd wanted to live forever I wouldn't have become a pilot," he said, with a twinkle in his eye.

"Everyone strap yourselves in!" he called over his shoulder, "We're goin' in!"

"Tellin' the truth, I have done the odd blockade run in my time," he said as he adjusted the dials on the console to channel more power to the _Sea Duck's _ray shields, "I know a few moves that might shake 'em up a little."

The _Sea Duck _came about again, this time to face the oncoming pirates. They were the same type of small craft that had attacked Cape Suzette: heavily armed and very fast. The _Sea Duck _chargedtowards the very centre of the group, fire streaming from her exhausts.

Bursts of cannon fire flashed in the cockpit window. Missiles with flaming tails streaked past. The ray shielding glowed green as they struck, sparkling like a giant emerald. The _Sea Duck _swung back and forth in little arcs, avoiding the places where the fire was thickest while aiming for patches of clear space. The cockpit window blazed brighter and brighter with gunfire as they drew closer and closer to the pirates.

Then they were past them, ray shields crackling but the ship herself undamaged. Ahead of them lay the capital ships; sleek cruisers with chrome finishes on their hulls; great galleons, square-rigged with solar sails to traverse inter-space; spiky destroyers, bristling with cannon; zeppelins, their cabins built from gummi.

The first line of ships had turned broadside on, their great guns trained on the _Sea Duck. _Baloo kept her low, avoiding many of the guns on the upper decks. The first volley burst around her. The ships ahead seemed to shimmer with gunfire. Something struck the _Sea Duck_, shaking her violently, but the shields still held. She swept beneath them and on towards the second line, turret fire blazing on all sides.

A warning light began to blink on the console before Baloo. In the rear-view mirror Kim could see a swarm of missiles had been fired from the underbelly of a nearby ship and were homing in on the _Sea Duck_. Baloo's arm shot out and thumped a button beside the warning light. A hatch at the rear of the _Sea Duck _open and a dozen flares spiralled out, drawing the missiles away.

They were now caught between the fire from both the first and second line of capital ships. The shields were taking a tremendous amount of damage. Kim was in awe of Baloo's skill, piloting so deftly while the world outside seemed one endless explosion.

The _Sea Duck _had just passed the second line when the shields finally collapsed. The ship began to shake as if it were being tossed about on a storm-wracked sea. In the cockpit, Baloo was wrestling vainly to keep her steady.

"We're caught… something's pullin' us in!" he yelled. The _Sea Duck _drifted sideways, turning slowly. The gunfire was dying down. Kim saw something like a giant metal bird's head through the cockpit window and then the ship was being drawn into a great, dark hole.

For a few seconds everything was dark. Then, with a bump, the _Sea Duck _landed on something. Floodlights snapped on, blinding them. Shielding her eyes from the glare Kim could see that they were in a vast metal room surrounded by a high gantry.

"Come on," said Mickey, who was already undoing his seatbelt, "We've gotta get out of here."

"And go where?" demanded Kim, "We're trapped!"

"We're gonna find another ship," said Mickey brightly as he headed through into the cargo bay.

Kim looked to Baloo, hoping that he would back her up, but to her surprise Baloo was following Mickey with a look of grim determination on his face.

"Baloo…?" she said.

"They're gonna pay for what they've done to my ship," he growled. Kim sighed and followed them into the cargo bay.

The others were all unharmed. Darkwing was standing by the hatch, peering out through the little window.

"I can see some people moving about behind the lights, Your Majesty. No-one's come forward," he said.

"I guess they're waiting to see what we do next," said Hercules.

"Darkwing, open the door," Mickey ordered, his keyblade appearing in his hand, "Hercules, Tarzan, Kim, keep back but be ready to charge on my signal. Baloo, you stay here with Basil. Don't follow until we call you, huh?"

Baloo nodded but Kim noticed that his paws were curled into fists: he was keen to exact revenge on the people who had damaged his precious _Sea Duck_.

Darkwing slid the hatch aside and leapt back, gas gun ready in his free hand. Mickey pressed himself up against the hull, peering round the doorframe. The others waited beside him, tense and ready to spring. Hercules drew his sword very slowly, the steel hissing softly as it left the scabbard. Kim heard her leather gloves creak as she clenched her fists.

Very slowly, the figures beyond the floodlights began to move towards the _Sea Duck. _Those members of the League who had been on the Isla de Engano recognised Don Karnage, now armed with a cutlass. His crew were humanoid animals; a rag-tag bunch armed with a mixture of white ray-guns and brutal hand weapons. They seemed very reluctant to approach the open hatch, despite Don Karnage's threats.

"Darkwing," whispered Mickey, gesturing to the hatchway with his keyblade. Darkwing nodded and leapt into the gap. The gas gun fired, accompanied by a puff of white smoke, spraying the deck with ball bearings. The gang of pirates swayed for a moment, arms flailing to maintain their balance, and then tumbled to the floor.

"Now!" cried Mickey. The League burst from the _Sea Duck _before the pirates had even regained their footing. Hercules and Tarzan went left, sending pirates flying through the air. Kim and Darkwing were on the right. One pirate slashed at Kim with an axe. She ducked and retaliated with a roundhouse kick that felled him like a tree. Coming back up, she found herself looking down the barrel of a pirate's ray gun. A moment later he was down, knocked cold by a boxing glove fired from Darkwing's gas gun.

In the centre Mickey was fighting with Don Karnage; keyblade and cutlass a whirl of parry and riposte. Don Karnage was a fair swordsman but no match for a keyblade wielder. Catching Karnage's sword in the teeth of his keyblade, Mickey disarmed him with a sudden twist of his wrist. Karnage tried to fall back but missed his footing on a cluster of ball bearings and crashed to the deck.

Their leader down, the rest of the pirates turned tail. They headed back towards the gantry, turning occasionally to fire blindly at the League with their ray guns. Kim was about to give chase when she heard something; it sounded like someone cutting through a sheet of silk with a very sharp knife. Three dark portals appeared in the air before the League. They disgorged three slender figures. Two were already familiar to her: a young man with white hair and red headed girl in a pink dress, each bearing a keyblade. The third figure was new. It was a young man in black leathers. His keyblade was almost identical to Mickey's but with a silver blade and golden guard. All three wore a round, white helmet with a dark visor.

The youngsters moved swiftly and with purpose. The man with silver hair engaged Tarzan and Hercules; the girl Kim and Darkwing; while the man in black closed with Mickey.

"Sora?!" Kim heard him cry but then the red headed girl was on her and Kim had no time to spare for anything else.

This time Kim did not underestimate the girl's speed. She came against Kim with a high stroke. Kim dropped, rolled under the blow and past the girl, leaving Darkwing with a clear shot. Another boxing glove flew from the gas gun but the girl dodged it with a neat pirouette. Kim darted forward, jabbing at the girl's stomach. The girl jumped back, out of Kim's reach. She thrust her keyblade at Kim. Kim leant to one side, retaliated with another punch which the girl ducked. She came back up with a blindingly fast uppercut which Kim was forced to dodge with a back flip. Darkwing fired his gas gun again, this time trying to trap the girl in a net, but she shredded it while it was still in mid-air.

Back in the centre of the bay Mickey was battling furiously with the young man in black leather, their keyblades flashing with every parry. Mickey was leaping high over his opponent's head, striking any times as he passed, but every blow was turned aside. The man in black never paused, not even to catch his breath. He pushed Mickey to move faster and faster. If any of the League had had the leisure to stop and watch them they would not have seen two keyblades, only a gold and silver blur moving back and forth between them.

Suddenly Mickey made a great leap away from his opponent. He paused, facing down his opponent, keyblade still pointed straight at him.

"Sora!" he cried, "What are you doing?"

The young man neither replied nor moved. He stood facing Mickey, knees bent, keyblade held out to the side.

Mickey glanced to his right. The man with the silver hair was standing over the unconscious Tarzan and Hercules. On his left, the red headed girl had her keyblade at Kim's throat. Darkwing lay unconscious beside them.

"Nice try," said a voice, "but you've lost, pal."

A dark portal opened beside the man in black leather. A figure dressed in a suit of armour, the beaked visor lowered to hide his face, stepped out into the hanger bay.

"You…" said Mickey, very softly. He did not sound surprised.

The figure reached up and removed his helmet.


	14. Strangers Like Me

Chapter 14 – Strangers Like Me

"Ha-cha-cha, it's good see you Mickey!"

"Hello Mortimer."

He looked a lot like Mickey, Kim thought: a pink face, framed by black fur, surmounted by perfectly round ears, although his were much smaller. The differences were subtle: Mortimer was a little taller and thinner. His nose was longer. His smile was wide, like Mickey's, but there was no innocence in it; only cynicism and conceit. His eyes glittered with a similar energy but it came from a different place; some dark and selfish pit of the soul.

"You knew it was me?" Mortimer asked Mickey. They were standing apart, facing each other, Mickey's keyblade still levelled at Sora.

"No, I guessed. After Traverse Town," Mickey replied, "You knew exactly where I would go."

"Naturally," said Mortimer, leering.

"Your Majesty, who…?"

Kim began to speak but stopped as Kairi's keyblade twitched at her throat.

"Kim," said Mickey, not taking his eyes off Mortimer, "This is Mortimer Mouse. We grew up together. We were…"

"Enemies," growled Mortimer. His gauntlets squeaked slightly as he clenched his fists.

"…rivals," Mickey continued, ignoring him, "We were apprentices to Master Yen Sid. We competed with each other at everything, always tryin' to outdo each other. I didn't worry about it, at first. There was no… no meanness in it, not then. Until Minnie got involved…"

"You mean when you _stole_ her from me!" snapped Mortimer, pointing an accusing finger at Mickey,

"She _chose_ _me _Mortimer," said Mickey. He did not raise his voice but there was conviction behind it, and with that conviction came strength.

"Now why would she do that?" sneered Mortimer, "You tricked her, that's all there was to it. Heck, she was never the brightest bulb in the box; she must have been easy to dupe. That's the only reason any woman would ever pick someone like you over me_._"

"She _chose me _Mortimer!" said Mickey, real anger entering his voice, "You wouldn't accept it then, just like you won't accept it now!"

"Wh- what did he do?" Kim asked.

Mickey's voice dropped until it was barely above a whisper.

"He tried to kidnap her. He had this big plan… but it went wrong; _badly _wrong. Minnie nearly died. So did I, tryin' to save her. Master Yen Sid was furious. He banished Mortimer to another dimension. I thought…"

"You thought you'd got rid of me, like you got rid of that chump Pete," said Mortimer. A truly unpleasant smile had stretched itself across his face.

"But I got back," he continued, "Oh, it took the longest time. Years and _years_, but I did it: I busted out of that two-bit dimension and with no help from anyone else. And now I want what's mine."

"You can't have her Mortimer," said Mickey, "You got that? _Never._"

"You think this is just about the girl?!" Mortimer said with a laugh, "You think I put all this together just to get Minnie back? Ha! And I thought you were smart...."

"Then what _do_ you want?" Mickey asked.

"Everything. I want everythin' you've got. The castle, the kingdom _and_ the queen: all of it. It should have been mine anyway. I'm just gettin' what I'm owed."

"No," said Mickey, "You can't. Minnie will never do it. She'll never let you into the castle, not even if you kill me. An' you can't get in any other way: the Cornerstone of Light won't let you."

Mortimer did not reply immediately. He stood, smiling at Mickey with an attitude of unlimited smugness, letting the moment draw out.

"Have you ever wondered," he said slowly, "what would happen if you turned a keyblade on the Cornerstone?"

Mickey froze, eyes wide; he had not expected that.

"You wouldn't…" he said, horrified.

"I don't know myself but I'm willing to bet it'd make one heck of a mess," said Mortimer, grinning, "And I just happen to have three!"

"What have you done to them, Mortimer?" Mickey demanded, glancing at the keybearers.

"Ah well, once I got back I did a bit of snooping. Started hearing all kinds of things about what you and your new whizz-kid friends had been up. Well, I couldn't have them runnin' around being all heroic, could I? At first I thought I'd just poison them or something but then I found this geek called Syndrome. He had a lot of really fun gadgets. He built those helmets for me."

He gestured to the smooth, white helmets that Sora, Riku and Kairi were wearing.

"Ain't it marvellous what they can do with technology these days?" Mortimer said, grinning, "Very, _very_ clever idea. You see, in the jungle there's a kind of python that hypnotises its prey before swallowing it. Syndrome worked out to how to copy it. He used diamonds in the helmet's visor. Of course, only the biggest and best diamonds would work so, naturally, I had to get me a diamond mine.

"That was the hard part. Once we had some workin' helmets, it was easy as anything. A couple o' poisoned apples knocked the kids right out. That's the oldest trick in the book. I stuck the helmets on 'em and wham-bam I've got me a couple of nifty toys that'll do whatever I tell 'em.

"For example, if I was to say: 'Kill the prisoners.'"

Instantly, Riku and Kairi raised their keyblades. Kim flinched, her eyes screwed up tight, waiting for the blow.

"Mortimer, wait!" Mickey cried, "Don't! I'll give it you!"

"Wait!" shouted Mortimer. Riku and Kairi froze.

"What do you mean?" Mortimer asked Mickey, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"My keyblade," said Mickey, "I will give you my keyblade if you spare their lives."

Mortimer continued to stare warily at Mickey, weighing up the proposal.

"Your Majesty, don't do it!" shouted Kim, careless of the keyblade held over her.

"Oh but he has to!" cried Mortimer, "It's the only card he's got left. He knows he can't fight his way out, not againstthree keybearers. And there's nothin' he's got that I can't take, except _that_. He's its chosen wielder and there's only two ways to get a keyblade: either it chooses to leave its wielder or the wielder chooses to give it to you."

"Do you promise to spare their lives?" Mickey asked.

"I promise," said Mortimer, smiling like a shark. Kim felt sick. She did not believe for a moment that Mortimer would keep his promise.

Mickey flipped his keyblade over so that he was holding it by the blade, with the handle pointed towards Mortimer. The keyblade vanished in a flash of light. A moment later it reappeared in Mortimer's hand. He tested its weight, giving it an experimental swing.

"Oh yes," he said, "Yes… this feels _good_!"

"Your promise?" said Mickey, fists bunched at his side. He seemed ready to launch himself at Mortimer, with or without his keyblade.

"Don Karnage!" Mortimer snapped, resting the keyblade on his shoulder.

Karnage approached, rubbing the lump that was already forming on his head where he had struck the floor during the fight. His crew of pirates had gathered against the hanger wall to nurse their bruises and watch the events unfolding in front of the _Sea Duck. _

"Yes, my lord?" Karnage said.

"Take these prisoners to the brig," Mortimer ordered, "Keep them under guard. I'll deal with them later."

"Yes, my lord," said Karnage, brightening up at the prospect of bullying somebody.

The pirates, once they were confident that the League really had surrendered, eagerly joined their captain in bullying and manhandling them towards the brig. One could manage the unconscious Darkwing but it took two apiece to bear Tarzan and Hercules away. Kim was jostled along, a cutlass point resting on the small of her back. A gang of pirates boarded the _Sea Duck_ and emerged escorting Baloo, with Basil riding on his shoulder. The three keyblade wielders stood apart staring blankly into space, apparently unaware what was happening around them.

Mickey was not taken with the other prisoners. He remained standing beside Mortimer, his head bowed, ears drooping: a dejected little figure. Mortimer was still crowing over him as the rest of the League was forced out of the hanger and deeper into the _Iron Vulture: _

"Oh boy, this is going to be great! We're going to have a coronation and a wedding and then the fun's _really _going to begin…"

Then the door was slammed shut behind them and Kim heard no more.

Kim did her best to memorise their route as the pirate hustled the remaining members of the League through the warren of identical, gun metal grey corridors. She was almost certain that they were heading aft and to starboard. They certainly descended four decks.

The brig of the _Iron Vulture _was very small, barely three metres across, but with a very high ceiling. The League were searched, disarmed and then shackled to the wall by their wrists. The pirates, all too aware of Hercules's strength, wrapped him tight in two chains of heavy iron links. Unable to find shackles small enough to fit Basil, one of the pirates produced a bird cage which was suspended from the ceiling by a chain. As the door closed Kim heard the crackle of an energy shield being activated. Even if they did slip their chains they would not have been able to so much as touch the door.

Kim sat slumped against the wall. It was dark in the brig: the only light came from a narrow slit high in the door. Water had leaked in from somewhere, so she was forced to sit in a puddle, water slowly soaking through her boots and pants. No one spoke. There was no reason to speak. They all knew what the others were thinking: they were beaten. This was the end of the journey; the end of their adventures.

The silence was eventually broken as Hercules, Tarzan and finally Darkwing came round and the others had to explain what had happened to them. At first Darkwing spat and swore vengeance but after struggling futilely against his chains for a few minutes he sat back, staring sadly into space. Tarzan accepted the news without any visible reaction. Afterwards he sat, brooding silently with furrowed brow. Hercules just sighed and shook his head:

"So that's it, huh?"

"Sure looks that way," said Baloo. He was the angriest of them all. Kim could not blame him. He was not really a member of the League. He had just become caught up in their problems. Now he had lost his beloved ship and, for all he knew, his home and his friends too.

"There must be _something _we can do," said Kim plaintively, "Come on Hercules: I bet those chains wouldn't hold you for a second if you tried to get free."

"Sure but what's the point?" sighed Hercules, "You said the door's shielded. I can't punch through an energy shield."

"We'll think of something," said Kim but Hercules was not really listening:

"And if we did get out of the brig, what would be point? What can we do against this Mortimer guy? We can't beat him, not while he's controlling Sora."

"But if…" Kim began but Basil interrupted her:

"My dear girl, I'm afraid you will just have to accept it," he called down from his cage, "The scoundrel is in an unassailable position. He is holding his Majesty prisoner. There is nothing we can do."

"Rule 8: Know when to give up," said Hercules.

"Look," said Kim, her voice rising, "I may not know any 'rules' and I may not be all that smart but I know who I am: I'm Kim Possible. I can do anything. That's what I've always said and I'm not going to let that creep Mortimer prove me wrong!"

"But without the King…" began Hercules.

"Okay, so the King's not with us right now," said Kim, "but we're a League,right? Think about all the times we helped the King. He was there for us when we needed him. Now it's our turn."

"Okay, maybe this thing _is_ too big for me," said Kim. She could feel herself blushing at the admission: she hated having to admit weakness.

"I can't do this on my own. None of us can. But we're not on our own, don't you see? The King put this League together because he knew he couldn't do everything by himself. If he were here now he'd say the same thing: if we work together we really can do _anything_."

Kim waited anxiously as the rest of the League considered her words. She could feel the tension in the group; everything seemed to hinge on what was said in the next few seconds.

"I say," said Basil quietly, "there's a window up here."

"A what?" said Kim.

"A porthole to be precise," said Basil, louder now, "It's very dirty. I doubt it has _ever _been cleaned."

"Can you see what's on the other side?" asked Hercules.

"No, I'm afraid… Hold on at tic," said Basil.

There was silence for a few moments, and then Kim heard the faint scrape of chain links rubbing together high above her. Looking up she could see Basil's cage rocking backwards and forwards, gently at first, then further and further. Eventually it was swinging so far that it almost brushed up against the side walls.

"I can see it!" Basil called down excitedly, "I can see… boxes; crates and the like. I think it's a storeroom. It doesn't appear to be occupied."

"But how do we reach it?" asked Hercules.

"The walls are too smooth to climb," observed Darkwing.

"We won't need to," said Kim, "Listen…"

The plan was remarkably simple once they were free of the shackles. Hercules had only to flex his arms and the chains holding him shattered like ice. After that it was the work of moments for him to prise open the shackles holding the others. Once she had massaged the feeling back into her hands and feet, Kim moved to stand in the very centre of the room. Hercules moved beside her, placed his hands under Kim's shoulders and with a single heave threw her straight up into the air. The throw was perfectly timed. Kim grabbed onto Basil's cage and hung, swinging gently from the chain until she was satisfied that it could take her weight. Then, like Basil, she began to swing back and forth, gathering momentum until at last she stuck out her boot and kicked straight through the porthole. Everyone in the brig froze, waiting to see if the sound would attract a guard.

After a few breathless minutes Kim was satisfied that no one had heard the glass shattering and began the work of kicking away the jagged shards that remained. Now able to climb through safely, Kim swung easily from the cage to the porthole and slid through to the storeroom. A few moments search confirmed Basil's observation: it was a store room for the odds and ends that were needed to keep a gummi-ship the size of the _Iron Vulture _in the sky. One of the things that it did not contain, however, was rope.

Kim was stumped for a moment, unable to think of a way to get the others out through the port hole, until Darkwing suggested an alternative. Standing at the bottom of the brig Hercules balanced Tarzan on his shoulders, who in turn supported Darkwing, with Kim at the very top, holding onto the rim of the porthole. Baloo then climbed up, using his friend's shoulders as a ladder, and through the porthole. Kim was worried for a moment that the bear's backside would not fit through but, after some gentle and not so gentle pushing, he squeezed through. Hercules followed, with Kim, Darkwing and Tarzan now dangling from the porthole like a giant daisy chain. Darkwing and Tarzan followed in turn. Kim was the last through, prising open the flimsy bars of Basil's cage and allowing him to hop out onto her shoulder.

Kim dropped softly down into the storeroom just as Darkwing was returning from examining the door.

"It's not even locked," he said, grinning.

"So, what do we do now?" asked Hercules, "Fight our way back to the ship?"

"Too risky," said Kim, shaking her head, "They might call Mortimer for help and then we'd end up right back where we started. I say we sneak back to our ship."

"That could be somewhat difficult" Basil observed.

"They won't be looking for us, which is a big plus," said Kim.

"If I know anything about pirates, they'll be celebrating a catch like this by gettin' drunk as a pilot on payday," said Baloo, "So I don't think they'll be keepin' too close a lookout."

"Can we use the _Sea Duck_?" Kim asked Baloo. He shook his head.

"Nah, I think she got too beat up comin' in. But there's bound to be some other ships lying about in the hanger: Karnage's got a whole squadron of 'em."

"Can you fly one?" asked Basil.

"Buddy, if it's got wings and an engine, I can fly it," said Baloo proudly.

"And… then?" asked Hercules, as if he was almost afraid to ask the question.

"And then… we go rescue the King," said Kim heavily. Their exultation at having escaped the brig was fading fast in the face of the task ahead of them.

"I think we're going to need some help," said Hercules, frowning.

"Yes. Dangerous," said Tarzan, nodding solemnly.

"Well then," said Darkwing, drawing himself up, "Let's get dangerous!"

* * *

_Mortimer Mouse first appeared in the 1936 short '_Mickey's Rival'. _Their feud continues today in the TV shows _Mickey MouseWorks _and _House of Mouse.


	15. A Girl Worth Fighting For

Chapter 15 – A Girl Worth Fighting For

The vast audience chamber of Disney Castle was full of people. They had come from dozens of different worlds to witness King Mortimer's coronation. There were goblins in horned helmets; pirates with golden earrings; dark skinned thieves in turbans. Gangsters rubbed shoulders with weather beaten hunters; portly noblemen with ragged witches. Between their legs slunk a variety of animals: lions, tigers, talking wolves, Siamese cats. Two files of Emperor Zurg's robotic soldiers kept them back from the red carpet that ran the length of the hall from the towering purple doors to the foot of the golden throne.

Mortimer sat on the throne with his legs stretched out in front him. A long, dirty green python was draped around his shoulders. He had changed from his suit of armour into a blue doublet with pale green hose. His new keyblade was propped up against the throne. On his right Sora, Riku and Kairi stood to attention like three perfect statues. On his left sat Mickey, an iron ball and chain clasped to his leg. He had been made to wear a jester's cap, the horns of which drooped forlornly around his great round ears. Mortimer was speaking to him:

"You just wait, squirt. I'll show you how it's done. You know what your problem is? You're a schmuck. You spent all your time flyin' around in your little rocket ship, helping people, saving the day, and for what? You save the world today but then you've got to go save it again tomorrow.

"Y'see I worked it out. These guys," he gestured to the chamber at large, "will run things _for _me. Syndrome will give 'em weapons, I'll keep meddlin' heroes like you and your loser friends out of the way and these guys get to do whatever they want. Everybody's happy. Well everybody that counts, which means _me_."

"It won't work, Mortimer. Someone will stop you," said Mickey but it sounded half-hearted even to him.

"Ah but that's the beauty of it," said Mortimer, stroking the python under its chin. He smiled as he said what he and Mickey already knew:

"Nobody can stop me. You won't make a move 'cause you know what'll happen to your little gang up on the _Iron Vulture _if you do. And even if they do break out it won't help you any. They won't dare do anything so long as you're my prisoner. Ha-cha-cha, ain't it beautiful?"

Mickey hung his head and did not reply. Every instinct in his body told him that he should act but he was held in place by the only thing stronger than his sense of justice: his love for his wife and friends. He truly was as powerless as Mortimer said. He had conceived dozens of plans over the past two days, dismissing each one even as it began to take form. He had no idea where the rest of the League was or what had happened to them. He had neither heard nor seen anything. He was not yet ready to give up but, little by little, the hopelessness of his situation was creeping over him.

Mortimer had taken Disney Castle with an almost painful ease. As soon as Minnie had learned that Mortimer held Mickey prisoner she had extinguished the Cornerstone of Light. From that moment there was nothing to stop Mortimer's cronies overrunning the entire building. Donald and Goofy had reluctantly laid down their weapons and been led to the dungeons along with the rest of the inhabitants. Even the enchanted brooms that had mopped and cleaned the castle had been shut up in a cupboard.

It had not been long before the redecorating had begun, in preparation for the coronation. The old hangings of red and gold were torn down and replaced with ones of blue and green. Anything bearing Mickey's crest was either covered or destroyed. In its place were dozens of pictures of Mortimer; there seemed to be one smirking down at you from every wall.

The crowd at the far end of the chamber stirred. The vast doors, four feet thick, swung open just far enough to allow the small party to pass through. The musicians in the gallery scrambled for their instruments and launched into a din that might have been a bridal march but sounded more like a box full of rodents being fed through a mangle. Mickey was sure that some of them were playing their instruments upside down.

The files of the robot saluted the party as they passed with a single blast from their ray guns. As they drew closer Mickey could see that it was being led by Maleficent. She still cut an imposing figure, despite leaning heavily on her staff. Behind her came Minnie, pale and red eyed. She had been forced into a hideous wedding dress of pale grey and sea green. Beside her, his hand heavy on her shoulder, was Pete. Bringing up the rear were Ratigan, who carried the orb and sceptre, and Emperor Zurg, who carried the crown of Disney Castle, Mickey's crown, on a velvet cushion.

Mortimer rose from the throne as they approached. Lifting the python from his shoulders, he let it coil up beside his feet. Then he stepped forward to meet the bridal party. Maleficent genuflected as he approached but he ignored her, passing by to address Minnie.

"Ha-cha-cha! Hiya doll," he said, smirking.

"Drop dead, Mortimer," said Minnie, turning her face away from him.

"Ah come on now," Mortimer said genially, "You haven't forgotten our little arrangement, have you? You're gonna marry me or Mickey here loses more than his throne, got it?"

"I remember Mortimer and that is the _only _reason I would _ever_ marry you," snarled Minnie, turning to fix him with a look of such loathing that Mickey found himself flinching. Mortimer appeared unconcerned, saying:

"Give it time, doll. You'll come round."

"My lord," said Maleficent, "shall you begin with the marriage or the coronation?"

"The marriage, you idiot!" snapped Mortimer, "I can't be the king until I've married the queen, can I?"

"No, my lord," said Maleficent. She had lowered her gaze but Mickey caught the flash of hatred in her eyes. If I was Mortimer, he thought, I would be sleeping very lightly tonight.

"Places people!" bellowed Pete. Maleficent moved to the front, her back to the throne, with Mortimer and Minnie side by side, facing her. Pete, Ratigan and Zurg stood behind them.

"Keep it short, huh?" Mortimer said to Maleficent, "Stick to the 'I do's'. I've got a lot t do."

Maleficent nodded and began to speak, her voice echoing clear in the great chamber:

"Do you, Mortimer Mouse, take…?"

A great booming note from the far side of the hall interrupted her. She paused. Everyone in the hall turned.

"What the…?" Mortimer muttered, frowning.

Another note sounded and the doors shook, rattling on their mighty hinges. Mickey stared at the doors hardly daring to breath.

A third blow and the doors swung inwards, scattering the nearby crowd. Hercules was standing in the middle of the doorway, sword in hand. On his left loomed Sully, fur bristling to the very tip of his tail, and on his right was a great brown beast, a purple cape drawn over his massive shoulders.

The moment stretched out. Everyone in the chamber was staring at the doorway, unable to believe what they were seeing. Then Mortimer spoke:

"Get them."

The crowds rumbled. Hands reached for weapons; claws slid from beneath their pads; teeth were bared. The two files of robots turned to face the doorway. Hercules raised his sword:

"In the name of the true king: _charge!"_

The three figures leapt into the hall and the crowd surged to meet them. Mickey cried out in alarm, sure that they would be overwhelmed. The cry turned to one of joy as he saw what followed them into the hall. Dozens of figures were coming round the doorway. He saw Jack Sparrow, with Buzz Lightyear on his left, Merlin on his right and his crew at his back. There was Donald and Goofy, released from the dungeons, with Aladdin the thief of Agrabah and the Pumpkin King Jack Skellington right behind them. There were a band of young men in royal costumes, bright long swords flashing in their hands, and a young woman with a little red dragon riding on her shoulder. A fox in Lincoln green was firing his bow and arrow at the robots as a party of Indians with feathers in their hair raced ahead. Above them flew Peter Pan, crowing with delight as he led a flock of hideous gargoyles into the battle.

The crowd within the chamber struck the heroes and were hurled back, like the sea against some indomitable cliff. Then the crowd surged forward again and the area around the door was filled with the roaring, swirling melee.

"How'd they get in here?" wailed Pete at the far end of the hall.

"I don't know!" snarled Mortimer, spit flying from his mouth, "Just get up there you morons and _stop them!" _

Maleficent, Pete, Zurg and Syndrome turned and began to push their way through the crowd and towards the battle. Mortimer was left beside the throne with Minnie, Mickey and the keybearers. His own keyblade appeared in his hand in a flash of light. He was on edge, glancing up at the galleries above him and the hidden doors near the throne. Mickey knew what he was thinking: apart from Hercules, the League had not been among the group who had charged the door. Now he and Mortimer were wondering the same thing: where were they?

Seconds later, the question was answered. Flash bombs exploded all around the throne, filling Mickey's vision with stars. He was aware of three dim figures swinging down from the musician's gallery. Mortimer was staggering around, desperately trying to clear his vision.

"Get them!" he roared, "Kill them, you idiots, _kill them!" _

The three keybearers started forward at once, their weapons appearing in their hands. Now he could see a little clearer Mickey recognised Kim, Darkwing and Tarzan. They made no attempt to avoid the keybearers but ran to meet them. The joy that had blossomed in Mickey's heart suddenly withered. What are they doing, he wondered: they must know that they cannot win this fight.

The battle at the doors was moving out of the chamber as the number of Mortimer's followers began to tell and Mickey's friends were forced backwards into the castle garden.

Back by the throne Mortimer's vision had cleared. He turned on the League members, his keyblade raised, magical lights playing along its length. Suddenly Minnie was right behind him. Forgotten in the confusion, she had snatched up the sceptre where Ratigan had dropped it. She was not very strong but it was the size of a baseball bat and made of solid gold. She struck Mortimer across the back of the head. He staggered sideways, propping himself up with his keyblade, the beginnings of his spell dissipating into the air.

Mickey watched anxiously as his friends fought the hypnotised keybearers. The League members did not seem to be trying to hit their opponents. They were dodging, avoiding every blow, but never retaliating, as if simply trying to buy time.

All of a sudden Darkwing, who was fighting Sora, leapt forward. He grabbed Sora's arms above the elbows and thrust them out to the side. Sora froze for a second, struggling to free himself. It was all the time that Darkwing needed. His broad brimmed hat flew back. Basil leapt out, wielding a pair of scissors in his hand like a sword. It was no great jump from Darkwing's head to Sora's shoulder. Sora twisted, hurling Darkwing back with a kick. Basil only had one chance. The scissors opened, snapped and then Basil was gone, scuttling across the floor.

Sora turned to follow him. As he did so his helmet slipped, the chinstrap sliced clean through. The visor lifted from his eyes as the whole headpiece reared back and slid to the floor.

For a moment he did not move. Then he shook his head, stretched and yawned, as if waking from a bad dream.

"What… What's going…?" he mumbled, casting bleary eyes over the audience chamber.

All of a sudden the drowsiness seemed to lift from him.

"Riku? Kair? Your Majesty?! What's going on?" he asked.

"Sora! It's the helmets. They're being controlled! You've gotta stop 'em!" cried Mickey.

Sora turned from Mickey to his friends and back. He nodded. Stretching out his keyblade he fired two thin beams of light at Riku and Kairi. The beams skimmed the very top of their helmets. A hairline crack appeared on their smooth, white surface. It widened as the whole helmet slid away. Kim and Tarzan fell back and waited as Riku and Kairi woke from the strange half-sleep of hypnotism.

Mortimer howled.

"No!" he screamed. Beating the sceptre from Minnie's hand he placed the teeth of his keyblade at her throat and grabbed her arm with his free hand.

"This isn't over yet," he yelled, dragging the struggling Minnie away towards the secret side door that Mickey had had installed for emergencies.

"Queen Minnie!" Sora shouted, starting after Mortimer.

"Sora, wait!" said Mickey, as Kairi unlocked his chain with a touch from her keyblade.

"Go help the others; there's a battle to be won," he ordered, "I'll deal with Mortimer."

Sora exchanged looks with Riku and Kairi, who nodded.

"Good luck, Your Majesty," he said.

"You too," replied Mickey. Then the keybearers were gone, racing for the door and the battle that was spreading throughout the castle.

"That goes for you too," Mickey said, addressing the rest of the League, "I've gotta stop him: alone."

The others nodded. They knew how Mickey felt; they all had someone like Mortimer in their lives; someone with whom their enmity was indescribably personal.

"And guys," said Mickey, pausing at the door, "thank you."

"Hey, what are friends for?" replied Kim, smiling.

The secret door brought Mickey out into a long corridor lined with suits of armour and other pieces of art. Mortimer had not been able to get far ahead with Minnie still struggling in his arms. He turned at the sound of Mickey's running feet.

"Ah-ah-ah! No closer," he shouted, moving the keyblade a little higher on Minnie's throat.

"Let her go, Mortimer," said Mickey, halting.

"Now why should I do a stupid thing like that?"

"This is between me and you. Let her go before she gets hurt."

"No. This is what's going to happen. You're going to give me a gummi-ship and then you're going to let me leave with _my _wife and _my _keyblade, got that?"

"You're not takin' my queen _or _my keyblade!"

Mickey held out his hand. There was a flash of light. The keyblade disappeared from Mortimer's hand and reappeared in Mickey's.

"What?!" howled Mortimer.

"The keyblade has chosen," said Mickey.

Minnie took advantage of the distraction to drive her elbow into Mortimer's stomach. Mortimer grunted and struck her with the back of his hand. She cried out and fell to the floor.

"Leave her alone!" cried Mickey, rushing to place himself between them.

Mortimer dashed over to the far wall and seized a sword from one of the suits of armour. He turned back to face Mickey.

"Okay, squirt, here it is. Just you and me," he said.

"Just like old times," replied Mickey.

"To the death?"

"If we must."

"_En garde!" _

They dropped into the correct posture: side on, back foot at a right angle to the front, sword raised, free arm held out behind for balance.

Mortimer stepped forward, the point of his sword hissing as it brushed the keyblade. He launched a wickedly fast lunge which Mickey parried only just in time. Mortimer was back on guard and ready for the riposte in an instant. He parried in turn and tried to bind Mickey's blade, thrusting for his stomach, but Mickey disengaged his keyblade and stepped back.

They fought down the length of the corridor, shoes whispering over the carpet. The blades, steel against gold, whirled back and forth in a clanging, clattering symphony. Neither gave any thought to the use of spells. Mortimer did not even attempt to use any dirty tricks. They both knew that this was a contest of skill and Mortimer was too competitive to spoil his victory by cheating.

Not that he had any need to cheat: he was a superb fencer. So was Mickey. Their blades and bodies moved together with ease, hands flowing between _prime _to _octave _and all the positions in between. They fought along the corridor, through an archway and into a wide, empty hallway. Ahead of them was a broad staircase of white stone leading up to a landing. Seeing it, Mortimer circled round Mickey until he had his back to the stairs. Then he fell back, sword still flickering from parry to riposte, until his rear foot was on the bottom step. He climbed backwards, never missing a beat, until he had gained a good height advantage on Mickey. Then he froze, moving not up but sideways, always denying Mickey the chance to face him on an equal level. Mickey fought hard but he was on the defensive, with Mortimer's blade slashing back and forth in front of his eyes.

The situation was desperate, so Mickey did something desperate. He hopped back a little, bent his knees and launched himself up, somersaulting over Mortimer's head like an acrobat. Mortimer thrust at him just as he landed. Mickey's parry was wild but successful. Now he was on the higher step. Mortimer made a few clumsy passes, all the while clearly wondering how to regain the advantage. A sudden fury seemed to come over him. He hurled his sword at Mickey. It was a crude move; the weapon was not designed to be thrown. Mickey easily batted it aside but it distracted him long enough for Mortimer to barge past. He raced on, up the steps, with Mickey following close behind.

Mortimer reached the landing, turned, ran on, seized a random door handle and threw himself through. He found himself on a stretch of battlements on the outer wall. To his left the inner wall rose sheer and unassailable. To his right was a drop of hundreds of feet to the town below. The only way left to him was straight ahead, to the door leading into a round tower.

It was locked. Mortimer was struggling with handle when he heard something clatter on the stone behind him. He turned.

"Your sword, Mortimer," said Mickey, gesturing to the weapon lying at Mortimer's feet. He was standing between Mortimer and the open door.

Mortimer smiled as he bent down to pick it up. His hand closed around the handle.

"Ha-cha-_cha!" _he cried, launching himself at Mickey on the last word. Mickey turned the blow aside but Mortimer's momentum drove him back until they were grappling against the parapet. Blades crossed across their bodies, they strained against one another: Mickey trying to force Mortimer back, Mortimer trying to drive the edge of his sword into Mickey's throat.

Mortimer's feet began to slip. He leapt back and lunged, hoping to pin Mickey against the parapet. Mickey beat the attack away and leapt aside, riposting with a high cut to the shoulder. Mortimer parried, stepped right and hopped up, balancing nimbly on the crenulations. Mickey swiped at his feet. Mortimer jumped over the keyblade, landed and chopped down at Mickey's head. Mickey parried, catching the blade in the teeth of his keyblade. Mortimer grasped the handle of his sword with both hands, heaving at it. With a crack the blade snapped, the top third of the blade spinning across the battlement. Mortimer was thrown off balance and stumbled back. He seemed to hang in mid-air for a moment, arms flailing, and then he was gone, plummeting down the wall.

"Mortimer!" cried Mickey, rushing to the edge. He looked down but there was no sign of Mortimer.

* * *

The food at the banquet was perhaps not the best to ever come out of the castle kitchens but to many sitting at the table it was the sweetest meal they had ever tasted.

The battle for Disney Castle was short but fiercely fought. Mortimer's forces had not just possessed the advantage of numbers. Despite being weakened by her recent battle with Mickey Maleficent remained a formidable witch and quickly took command in Mortimer's absence. Summoning a swarm of Heartless to aid her, she led the counter-charge that forced the attackers out of the audience chamber and into the garden. There the fighting really began in earnest. Some old foes, crossing paths in the melee, split off from the rest to conduct their own private duels. Merlin engaged with Maleficent, with the two magicians trading spells in the very centre of the garden. Pete attempted to revenge himself on Hercules for the blow he had received in Cape Suzette but Hercules once again proved the stronger and Pete spent most of the battle face down in a shrubbery. Fearing that they would be utterly overwhelmed the League's allies began to split up, heading into the narrow corridors where their opponent's numbers would be less of an advantage.

The fight ended very soon after the rest of the League appeared with the keybearers. Many of Mortimer's followers had crossed the young heroes before and to their cost. Most panicked and tried to flee, surrendering when escape proved impossible. A few of the more formidable members slipped away. Maleficent vanished with Pete in a burst of green fire. Zurg disappeared in a flash of purple light and Ratigan's transport machine was later found standing empty. The survivors were rounded up and sent down to the dungeons, to await whatever punishment Mickey saw fit to hand out. As soon as word reached the pirate fleet of their allies' defeat they broke orbit and scattered into the furthest corners of inter space.

Returning to the audience chamber, the League had found Mickey sitting at the foot of the throne with his arms around Minnie. He was very quiet. Although clearly happy to see them alive and victorious there was an undercurrent of sadness in him, as if he was weighed down by some great regret.

Minnie had taken charge and invited the victorious heroes to a celebratory banquet in the castle dining hall, which was a smaller and cosier room than the imposing audience chamber. The conversation was lively, as the diners shared their experiences of the battle and their past adventures. It was only then that Mickey cheered up sufficiently to ask the League how they had engineered his rescue.

"Well, getting off the _Iron Vulture _was easy," said Kim, "Baloo was right: the crew were all dead drunk by the time we escaped, so it was no problem to steal a ship and warp away."

"And then?" said Mickey.

"We went to Radiant Garden. We wanted to talk to Leon; see if he could help," said Kim, "He was all ready to come here and rescue you himself!"

"Until Cid pointed out that we'd never get past the pirate fleet," said Hercules.

"It was Sully who actually came up with the plan," Kim continued, "There's a door to every world in Monster's Inc, right? Well, he said, that meant that there's one into this castle too.

"We thought getting into Monster Inc. would be really hard but Waternoose was so sick of Mortimer and his goons that he sided with us! Steelbeak and his men were out cold before they could warn Mortimer what was going on.

"We used the doors to visit all of your old friends. By the end we had a small army! Then we snuck into the castle through a closet door. Darkwing, Basil, Tarzan and I got ready to drop from the gallery while Hercules and the others provided the distraction."

"Gosh, that was a pretty risky plan!" said Mickey.

"Not if you're extraordinary," said Kim grinning. Mickey grinned back.

"So, what happens now?" asked Sora, selecting a sea salt ice cream from the tray in front of him.

"Maleficent and Pete are still out there," said Riku darkly.

"And don't forget that blackguard Ratigan!" cried Basil.

"Or Zurg," added Buzz Lightyear.

"But now the keybearers are back…" said Hercules, leaving the common thought unspoken.

"Well… it's been fun," said Kim lamely. She had spent so long resenting the other members of the League she was surprised how sad she was to part with them, even Basil and Darkwing.

"Gee, fellas don't talk like that!" said Mickey, his ears drooping.

Everybody looked up at the sound of two squeaky voices calling from the doorway:

"Oh Your Majesty!"

"This is terrible!"

Chip and Dale appeared, racing towards them across the dining hall. They were dragging something behind them.

"What's wrong, fellas?" asked Mickey, immediately alert.

"It's gone!"

"Theft! Stolen!"

"_What's _been stolen?" Mickey asked.

"A gummi-ship!"

"From the hanger."

"You're sure?" asked Mickey

"Uh-huh"

"Yep!"

The chipmunks nodded.

"And we found this."

"Someone left it in the hanger!"

The chipmunks held up the object they were dragging. It was a sword, with the top third of its blade missing. Mickey took the sword and held it lightly in his hands.

"Oh boy…" he said.

He looked round at the League. The ghost of a grin appeared on his face:

"It looks like we could be stickin' together for a while yet."

The League grinned back.

THE END

* * *

_Author's note: I won't list all the cameos __in this chapter. I hope none of the references were too obscure!_

_Thank you to all the people who reviewed this story. I had a blast writing it. I hope you had just as much fun reading it._


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